Springfield Union Station (Illinois) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Union Station
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The former Springfield Union Station is a component of the Lincoln Presidential Library Visitor Center
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 Location in Illinois
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| Location | 500 East Madison Street, Springfield, Illinois |
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| Built | 1898 |
| Architect | Francis T. Bacon |
| Architectural style | Richardsonian Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001189 |
| Added to NRHP | November 27, 1978 |
Springfield Union Station in Springfield, Illinois, used to be a busy train station. Today, it's an important part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. It is recognized as a special historic place. You can find it at 500 East Madison Street in downtown Springfield, right next to the Lincoln Presidential Library.
Contents
Station History & Design
Springfield Union Station was designed in 1896. It was built in a style called Richardson Romanesque. This style uses heavy stone and round arches. The station was meant to be a shared terminal for several railroads. These included the Baltimore and Ohio, Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis, Illinois Central, and St. Louis, Peoria and Northern railways.
The Illinois Central Railroad was the main user of the station. Their chief architect, Francis T. Bacon, designed the building. The station was built between 1897 and 1898. It cost $75,000 to build, which was a lot of money back then! It opened for business on January 2, 1898. For 73 years, many passenger trains used this station. They traveled to and from big cities like Chicago and St. Louis.
Illinois Central Railroad's Role
Most trains at Springfield Union Station were run by the Illinois Central Railroad. When the station first opened, Illinois Central only served Springfield on a route going northeast. This route connected to places like Clinton, Gilman, and Chicago.
In 1899, Illinois Central bought a section of track from another railway. This allowed them to extend their service south to St. Louis. On June 17, 1900, they launched two new fancy trains. These were called the Daylight Special and the Diamond Special. They competed with other trains going between St. Louis, Springfield, and Chicago. By 1936, the Illinois Central's main trains on this route were the Green Diamond and the Night Diamond.
Other Railroads at the Station
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad also used Springfield Union Station. They had routes from Indianapolis and Decatur to Springfield. They also had a route between Flora, Pana, Springfield, and Beardstown.
The B&O was one of the first companies at Union Station. But in 1931, they bought another railroad. Their trains then moved to a different station. During World War II, their Indianapolis service stopped west of Decatur. After 1947, a B&O train briefly returned to Union Station. However, it stopped running completely on March 24, 1951.
The Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis Railroad was another tenant. They offered passenger service from Springfield to Peoria. They also had a route from Springfield to St. Louis. Later, this company built its own smaller station. This new station was almost two miles north of Union Station. Because of this, they stopped using Springfield Union Station in 1937.
Station Features & Operations
Springfield Union Station was one of five important train stations in Illinois' capital city. It was built in a much fancier style than the other stations. The station was set up as a "stub-end terminal." This means trains had to back into the station. This was because Springfield was originally the end of the line for the Illinois Central.
One of the most noticeable parts of Union Station was its tall clock tower. It was about 110 feet (34 meters) high. The tower made the station a well-known landmark in the city. In 1936, the clock hands were removed to save money on maintenance. The tower itself was taken down in the summer of 1946.
Passenger train service at Springfield Union Station ended on April 30, 1971. This happened when the Governor's Special train stopped running. This was the last Illinois Central passenger train between Springfield and Chicago. It was stopped because Amtrak was created. Amtrak trains still serve Springfield, but they use a different station nearby.
Station's New Life
After trains stopped using Union Station, it was home to several businesses. Then, it was used for Illinois state offices until 2004. The building was then completely restored. It became the visitor center for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. It reopened in March 2007.
As part of this $12.5 million restoration, the clock tower was rebuilt. This made the station look much like it did before 1936. Even though it's no longer a visitor center, the station is still a key part of the Lincoln Presidential Library. It now holds exhibits and shows about Lincoln's life. You need to pay an admission fee to enter.
Gallery
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New clock tower constructed in 2006 to replicate tower removed in 1946 from Springfield Union Station
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Interior of former Springfield Union Station as renovated for use as Lincoln Presidential Library Visitor Center
