Missoula station (Northern Pacific Railway) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Missoula, MT
inter-city rail station
Amtrak's North Coast Hiawatha at Missoula in July 1976
Location	Railroad and Higgins Avenue, Missoula, Montana USA
Platforms	1 side, 1 island platform (removed)
Tracks	2
History
Opened	1883
Closed	1979
Rebuilt	1901
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Paradise toward Seattle North Coast Hiawatha Deer Lodge toward Chicago Preceding station Northern Pacific Railway Following station De Smet toward Seattle or Tacoma Main Line Bonner toward St. Paul De Smet toward Wallace Wallace – Missoula Terminus Post toward Darby Bitter Root Branch
Northern Pacific Railroad Depot
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The depot in 2012
Location in Montana Show map of Montana Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Railroad and Higgins Avenue Missoula, Montana
Built	1901 (1901)
Architect	Reed and Stem
Architectural style	Simplified Renaissance Revival
NRHP reference No.	85000644
Added to NRHP	March 28, 1985

The Missoula station is a historic train building in Missoula, Montana. It was built in 1901 by the Northern Pacific Railway company. This building was actually the third train station the Northern Pacific built in Missoula. The railway first arrived in Missoula in 1883. Today, the station is recognized as an important historical place. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

History of the Missoula Train Station

The arrival of the Northern Pacific Railway was very important for Missoula. It helped the town become a major center for transportation in Western Montana. This brought a lot of business and growth to the area.

Early Train Stations in Missoula

The first train station in Missoula was built in 1883. It was located about 800 feet (240 m) west of where the current station stands. There were plans to replace this first station in 1896. However, the new station building was burned down before it was even finished.

Building the Current Station

The station you see today was completed in 1901. It was designed by famous architects named Reed and Stem. They were from St. Paul, Minnesota. They designed the station in a style called "simplified Renaissance Revival." This style was popular for important buildings. Reed and Stem designed over 100 train stations. They also designed the very famous Grand Central Terminal in New York City.

Design and Materials

The Missoula station is made of light brown bricks. These bricks were saved from another project by the Northern Pacific company. They were going to be used for a hotel in Tacoma, Washington. That hotel was later rebuilt as Stadium High School. Bricks from the same hotel were also used to build a station in Wallace, Idaho.

The station has a main part that is three stories tall. On each side of this main part, there are one-story sections. The main part has brick columns that divide it into six sections. The outer columns on each side have the Northern Pacific's black and red "yin-yang" logo. The one-story sections also have four parts each. The main part of the station has a sloped roof with terra cotta tiles. The side sections have flat roofs.

Passenger Service and Today

Northern Pacific passenger trains used this station until 1971. That year, a new company called Amtrak took over most passenger train services in the United States. Amtrak continued to serve Missoula with a train called the North Coast Hiawatha. However, Amtrak stopped this service in 1979.

Today, the train tracks near the station are only used for freight trains. These tracks are now owned by a company called Montana Rail Link.

Historical Importance

The Missoula station was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 28, 1985. It is seen as a very important building. It shows how much the railroad helped Missoula grow and change its economy.

Near the station, you can also see an old steam locomotive. It is Northern Pacific #1356, a type of train called a 4-6-0.