A History of Manhattan's Union Pacific Depot - January 6th, 2006
For Manhattan residents at the beginning of the Twentieth Century, railroad connections promised economic stability, prosperity, population growth, closer ties with other parts of the nation, cultural opportunities, and wider horizons. The depot served as the symbolic embodiment of the importance of rail service to the survival of the community and it was the portal by which visitors were ushered into Manhattan proper.
Manhattan's original wooden depot on the Union Pacific line was built in 1866. But by 1900 it was no longer considered adequate for Manhattan's needs and plans were made to build a new, improved depot in 1901. The current depot was designed as a one-story brick structure with a stone foundation and a hip roof covered in red tile, featuring gables in the mission revival style. The deep eaves were supported by brackets. There were three bay windows and a brick tower that extended to a height of twenty feet above the platform. The building's overall dimensions were 106 feet by 24 feet divided into three main rooms.
Two waiting rooms were located in the northeast and center sections. The baggage room was located in the southwest end. The depot also had a ticket office and two restrooms with marble trimmings. The floor was hard maple and the interior walls were red Kansas City brick. The exterior walls were made of gray pressed brick from Avery, Nebraska. Passengers entered the depot through double doors on either of the long sides of the building. Telephone service, electrical lighting, and ventilating registers were all part of the original design. Construction began the first week in August of 1901 and was completed in late December. The Bridge and Building Department of the Union Pacific Railroad Company readied the structure for occupancy by the first week of January, 1902. The building cost $10,000 to construct.
The most famous event that took place at the depot happened on May 2, 1903. President Theodore Roosevelt delivered a fifteen minute whistlestop speech from the back of his train to a large and appreciative crowd.
Another transportation link began serving the depot in 1908 when William H. West and his four sons began work on a streetcar line, "The Manhattan City and Interurban Railway." It was designed to serve passengers who wished to travel from the depot to the commercial and retail districts on or near Poyntz Avenue and on to Kansas State Agricultural College. The line was later expanded west to Fort Riley and Junction City. With the Interurban's brick powerhouse located barely a block from the U.P. depot, the southeastern corner of Manhattan became an area of major transportation activity.
The depot was remodeled by the Union Pacific in 1938. A new electrical service and a new heating plant were installed. The interior was updated in beige with silver-trimmed walls. The doors were painted two shades of orange. New furniture in gray and brown was added. The waiting room area became smaller and the ticket office and baggage areas were enlarged. The brick entry tower and chimney, storm and wind damaged, were removed. The exterior color scheme was changed to green, brown, and yellow. Gray composition shingles replaced the original tiles on the upper half of the roof. A major Midwestern flood occurred in 1951. The depot was subjected to a fast-moving current of water that gouged a large hole in the platform, big enough to swallow an automobile.
The depot saw its last passenger train in 1971. A small fire damaged the depot's roof in 1981 and contractors replaced the remaining clay roofing tiles with asphalt shingles. The last freight train departed in 1984.
The Union Pacific Railroad and the City of Manhattan exchanged land in 1990 to facilitate the construction of the nearby portion of Fort Riley Boulevard. The tracks were moved to their present location south of Fort Riley Boulevard and the depot became the property of the citizens of Manhattan.
Despite exterior changes, a gutted interior, floodwater damage, weathering, and even the loss of the rails, the depot remained an important landmark for the community in its physical prominence and its emotional resonance. The sight of the building still elicits memories of traveling to college by train, of long-ago vacation trips, and of soldiers departing civilian life for the uncertainties of war and returning to the embraces of loved ones. For years this landmark has waited for a new purpose.
In March of 1993 local architect Brent Bowman provided the citizens of Manhattan with a report on the physical integrity of the depot. At that time his estimated price tag for rehabilitation was $350,000. One critical issue was the lack of a practical use for the building, a problem complicated by limited access to the site. Because of Fort Riley Boulevard and the KDOT-designed on-ramp to the new bridge over the Kansas River, the only permitted vehicular access to the depot site requires a right turn in from Fort Riley Boulevard. The only vehicular egress from the property requires a right turn out onto Fort Riley Boulevard.
In 1994 the Manhattan/Riley County Preservation Alliance, Inc. was formed by a group of citizens concerned with the steady loss of Riley County's historic buildings. It wasn't long before the group settled on the depot as its main project. Because the depot was listed on the Register of Historic Kansas Places, it was eligible for a grant from the state's Heritage Trust Fund. The city of Manhattan was awarded $59,920 from the HTF which the city matched with $14,980. The Preservation Alliance supported the project by assisting in writing the grant proposal and by demonstrating local support through a donation of $3,000 towards the project.
Bruce McMillan AIA Architects, P.A. was selected for the project. Phase 1 began with stabilization for the foundation and building exterior. The platform bricks were taken up and laid in a way that would promote drainage away from the building. Sunflower Builders performed the Phase 1 work.
In 1998 Manhattan received federal monies from the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) grant program. A local match of $70,000 gained an additional $279,000 for the project. The Preservation Alliance donated $8,000 to the project which, through a favorable matching formula, became an effective $40,000 for the project. Phase 2 brought the return of the red tile roof and the distinctive green and yellow painted wood surfaces which match the building's original colors.
Phase 2 also allowed for interior demolition, removal of asbestos, repair of interior fire damage, and prep work for the eventual return of the tower as originally designed. Riley Construction performed the Phase 2 work.
Some members of the Preservation Alliance constructed a wooden ramp to make the building accessible to all who wished to attend an open house hosted by the group in October of 2002.
Under the provision of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA) of 2003, the city of Manhattan was awarded $699,000 to complete the rehabilitation of the depot. In order to secure this grant, however, the Preservation Alliance was charged by the city commission with raising the match of $150,000. The Alliance launched a "three dollars for the depot" campaign. The idea was that if every citizen would donate three dollars, enough money could be raised to provide the grant match. Donation boxes were placed all over town and the community enthusiastically responded. An anonymous donation of $100,000 brought the Preservation Alliance close to its goal. The city commission voted to provide an additional $19,000 to complete the grant match.
Phase 3, which began in the fall of 2005, includes the reconstruction of the tower and all finishing work on the interior. Curbing and paving of the forty-eight vehicle parking lot has been completed. Street lamps will match those in the downtown area. Landscaping will include a registered sesquicentennial oak tree donated by the Preservation Alliance. Access to the depot from the parking area includes a circle drive for dropping off and picking up visitors to the depot and attractive steps and a ramp leading to the door. The interior will be lit with period style fixtures and will also include a kitchenette and ADA accessible restrooms. Maximum interior occupancy will be 112 people. Ron Fowles Construction Management Services is performing the Phase 3 work.
The building will be managed, inside and out, by the Manhattan Parks and Recreation Department and will be used as a multiple use public facility suitable for exhibitions, conferences, receptions, parties, meetings, and weddings. Information about booking events will be posted here when it is available. Questions about the building should be directed, at this time, to the city manager of Manhattan, Ron Fehr.
The Manhattan/Riley County Preservation Alliance, Inc. wishes to thank the thousands of people who have donated their work, their wisdom, and their wealth to this project. Our organization will continue the fund-raising effort to enhance the building's furnishings and landscaping. We honor the legacy we have received from our forebears and we challenge the citizens of future generations to continue to care for this historic building.
Manhattan's original wooden depot on the Union Pacific line was built in 1866. But by 1900 it was no longer considered adequate for Manhattan's needs and plans were made to build a new, improved depot in 1901. The current depot was designed as a one-story brick structure with a stone foundation and a hip roof covered in red tile, featuring gables in the mission revival style. The deep eaves were supported by brackets. There were three bay windows and a brick tower that extended to a height of twenty feet above the platform. The building's overall dimensions were 106 feet by 24 feet divided into three main rooms.
Two waiting rooms were located in the northeast and center sections. The baggage room was located in the southwest end. The depot also had a ticket office and two restrooms with marble trimmings. The floor was hard maple and the interior walls were red Kansas City brick. The exterior walls were made of gray pressed brick from Avery, Nebraska. Passengers entered the depot through double doors on either of the long sides of the building. Telephone service, electrical lighting, and ventilating registers were all part of the original design. Construction began the first week in August of 1901 and was completed in late December. The Bridge and Building Department of the Union Pacific Railroad Company readied the structure for occupancy by the first week of January, 1902. The building cost $10,000 to construct.
The most famous event that took place at the depot happened on May 2, 1903. President Theodore Roosevelt delivered a fifteen minute whistlestop speech from the back of his train to a large and appreciative crowd.
Another transportation link began serving the depot in 1908 when William H. West and his four sons began work on a streetcar line, "The Manhattan City and Interurban Railway." It was designed to serve passengers who wished to travel from the depot to the commercial and retail districts on or near Poyntz Avenue and on to Kansas State Agricultural College. The line was later expanded west to Fort Riley and Junction City. With the Interurban's brick powerhouse located barely a block from the U.P. depot, the southeastern corner of Manhattan became an area of major transportation activity.
The depot was remodeled by the Union Pacific in 1938. A new electrical service and a new heating plant were installed. The interior was updated in beige with silver-trimmed walls. The doors were painted two shades of orange. New furniture in gray and brown was added. The waiting room area became smaller and the ticket office and baggage areas were enlarged. The brick entry tower and chimney, storm and wind damaged, were removed. The exterior color scheme was changed to green, brown, and yellow. Gray composition shingles replaced the original tiles on the upper half of the roof. A major Midwestern flood occurred in 1951. The depot was subjected to a fast-moving current of water that gouged a large hole in the platform, big enough to swallow an automobile.
The depot saw its last passenger train in 1971. A small fire damaged the depot's roof in 1981 and contractors replaced the remaining clay roofing tiles with asphalt shingles. The last freight train departed in 1984.
The Union Pacific Railroad and the City of Manhattan exchanged land in 1990 to facilitate the construction of the nearby portion of Fort Riley Boulevard. The tracks were moved to their present location south of Fort Riley Boulevard and the depot became the property of the citizens of Manhattan.
Despite exterior changes, a gutted interior, floodwater damage, weathering, and even the loss of the rails, the depot remained an important landmark for the community in its physical prominence and its emotional resonance. The sight of the building still elicits memories of traveling to college by train, of long-ago vacation trips, and of soldiers departing civilian life for the uncertainties of war and returning to the embraces of loved ones. For years this landmark has waited for a new purpose.
In March of 1993 local architect Brent Bowman provided the citizens of Manhattan with a report on the physical integrity of the depot. At that time his estimated price tag for rehabilitation was $350,000. One critical issue was the lack of a practical use for the building, a problem complicated by limited access to the site. Because of Fort Riley Boulevard and the KDOT-designed on-ramp to the new bridge over the Kansas River, the only permitted vehicular access to the depot site requires a right turn in from Fort Riley Boulevard. The only vehicular egress from the property requires a right turn out onto Fort Riley Boulevard.
In 1994 the Manhattan/Riley County Preservation Alliance, Inc. was formed by a group of citizens concerned with the steady loss of Riley County's historic buildings. It wasn't long before the group settled on the depot as its main project. Because the depot was listed on the Register of Historic Kansas Places, it was eligible for a grant from the state's Heritage Trust Fund. The city of Manhattan was awarded $59,920 from the HTF which the city matched with $14,980. The Preservation Alliance supported the project by assisting in writing the grant proposal and by demonstrating local support through a donation of $3,000 towards the project.
Bruce McMillan AIA Architects, P.A. was selected for the project. Phase 1 began with stabilization for the foundation and building exterior. The platform bricks were taken up and laid in a way that would promote drainage away from the building. Sunflower Builders performed the Phase 1 work.
In 1998 Manhattan received federal monies from the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) grant program. A local match of $70,000 gained an additional $279,000 for the project. The Preservation Alliance donated $8,000 to the project which, through a favorable matching formula, became an effective $40,000 for the project. Phase 2 brought the return of the red tile roof and the distinctive green and yellow painted wood surfaces which match the building's original colors.
Phase 2 also allowed for interior demolition, removal of asbestos, repair of interior fire damage, and prep work for the eventual return of the tower as originally designed. Riley Construction performed the Phase 2 work.
Some members of the Preservation Alliance constructed a wooden ramp to make the building accessible to all who wished to attend an open house hosted by the group in October of 2002.
Under the provision of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA) of 2003, the city of Manhattan was awarded $699,000 to complete the rehabilitation of the depot. In order to secure this grant, however, the Preservation Alliance was charged by the city commission with raising the match of $150,000. The Alliance launched a "three dollars for the depot" campaign. The idea was that if every citizen would donate three dollars, enough money could be raised to provide the grant match. Donation boxes were placed all over town and the community enthusiastically responded. An anonymous donation of $100,000 brought the Preservation Alliance close to its goal. The city commission voted to provide an additional $19,000 to complete the grant match.
Phase 3, which began in the fall of 2005, includes the reconstruction of the tower and all finishing work on the interior. Curbing and paving of the forty-eight vehicle parking lot has been completed. Street lamps will match those in the downtown area. Landscaping will include a registered sesquicentennial oak tree donated by the Preservation Alliance. Access to the depot from the parking area includes a circle drive for dropping off and picking up visitors to the depot and attractive steps and a ramp leading to the door. The interior will be lit with period style fixtures and will also include a kitchenette and ADA accessible restrooms. Maximum interior occupancy will be 112 people. Ron Fowles Construction Management Services is performing the Phase 3 work.
The building will be managed, inside and out, by the Manhattan Parks and Recreation Department and will be used as a multiple use public facility suitable for exhibitions, conferences, receptions, parties, meetings, and weddings. Information about booking events will be posted here when it is available. Questions about the building should be directed, at this time, to the city manager of Manhattan, Ron Fehr.
The Manhattan/Riley County Preservation Alliance, Inc. wishes to thank the thousands of people who have donated their work, their wisdom, and their wealth to this project. Our organization will continue the fund-raising effort to enhance the building's furnishings and landscaping. We honor the legacy we have received from our forebears and we challenge the citizens of future generations to continue to care for this historic building.
