West Liberty station

West Liberty
Former Rock Island Line passenger rail station
The station building in 2008
General information
Location405 North Elm St.
West Liberty, Iowa
History
Openedc. 1860
ClosedMay 1970
Rebuilt1897
Services
Preceding station Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Following station
Iowa City
toward Colorado Springs
 Main Line Wilton
toward Chicago
Centerdale
toward Minneapolis
 Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway Nichols
toward Burlington
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Passenger Depot
West Liberty station is located in Iowa
West Liberty station
West Liberty station is located in the United States
West Liberty station
Location405 North Elm St.
West Liberty, Iowa
Coordinates41°34′17″N 91°16′04″W / 41.57139°N 91.26778°W / 41.57139; -91.26778
NRHP reference No.100008032
Added to NRHPAugust 9, 2022

West Liberty station is an historic train station located in West Liberty, Iowa, United States.

History

The Minnesota and Missouri Railroad laid tracks through the area in 1855, bypassing the small settlement of Wapsinonoc. Settlers relocated nearer to the new railroad and the depot at West Liberty was established. The Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Minnesota Railway was built through the town in 1870. Being used for both railroads, the shared depot was commonly called Union station.[1] The modern station building was built in 1897 after the previous depot was destroyed in a fire.[2][3][4] In 1910, 35 daily passenger trains stopped at West Liberty.[3]

Passenger service ceased in May 1970, though the Rock Island continued to utilize the site as field offices.[3] By 1981, the station building had been boarded up as derelict.[5] It was rededicated after restoration in 2001, being converted to a museum. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 9, 2022.[3][6]

References

  1. ^ "City of West Liberty". Muscatine County. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
  2. ^ "Liquor and Railroads". Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette. August 2, 1897. p. 8. Retrieved May 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c d Sterba, Phyllis Owen (April 23, 2024). "The railroad arrives in West Liberty". West Liberty Index. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
  4. ^ Glischinksi, Steve (2007). Regional Railroads of the Midwest. Voyageur Press. p. 80. ISBN 9781610604956.
  5. ^ Clotfelter, Susan (August 17, 1983). "Rock Island wants to dismantle track". Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa City Press-Citizen. pp. 1, 6. Retrieved May 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Rock Island Depot". West Liberty Heritage Foundation. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
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