Des Moines Union Station

Des Moines Union Station
Postcard of the station circa 1910
General information
LocationFifth and Cherry
Des Moines, Iowa
OwnerDes Moines Union Railway
History
OpenedApril 3, 1899 (1899-04-03)
ClosedSeptember 30, 1959 (1959-09-30)
Former services
Preceding station Burlington Route Following station
Terminus Des Moines – Albia East Des Moines
toward Albia
Preceding station Chicago Great Western Railway Following station
Millman
toward Kansas City
 Main Line East Des Moines
toward Minneapolis
Preceding station Milwaukee Road Following station
Clive
toward Spirit Lake
 Spirit Lake – Des Moines Terminus
Preceding station Wabash Railroad Following station
Terminus Des Moines – Moberly East Des Moines
toward Moberly
Location

Des Moines Union Station, also known as Des Moines Union Depot, was a railroad station in Des Moines, Iowa. It was owned and operated by the Des Moines Union Railway, itself co-owned by the Milwaukee Road and Wabash Railroad. The other principal railroads using Union Station were the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and Chicago Great Western Railway. The station opened in 1899 and closed in 1959. It was demolished in 1975. The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad used its own station, still standing, one block to the southeast.

History

The station opened on April 3, 1899.[1] The station was located on Cherry Street, between Fifth Street and Sixth Avenue, directly south of the Polk County Courthouse. The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad had its own station on Vine between Fourth and Fifth Streets, to the southeast.[2]

Passenger service ended on September 30, 1959, when the Wabash Railroad discontinued service between Des Moines, Iowa, and St. Louis, Missouri.[3] The station building was demolished in 1975.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Union Station is Opened". The Des Moines Daily Leader. April 4, 1899. p. 2. Retrieved June 30, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ "Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa". 1920. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  3. ↑ Allen, Don (October 1, 1959). "Union Depot Hears Final 'All Aboard'". The Des Moines Register. p. 1. Retrieved June 30, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Reminisce over Des Moines' past with these historic buildings". The Des Moines Register. November 20, 2025. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
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