National Register of Historic Places

Seward Depot

Seward, Kenai Peninsula County, Alaska
Listed
July 15, 1987
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
87000652

About this property

The Seward Depot, also known as the Seward Station, is a former rail depot in Seward, Alaska, United States. The depot was constructed in 1917 at what is now Adams Street and Ballaine Boulevard to serve the railroad line. Seward was and remains the southern terminus of the Alaska Railroad. The Seward line was owned by the Alaska Central Railroad, the Alaska Northern Railroad, and at the time of the depot's construction, the U.S. government. President Warren G. Harding visited Seward and Alaska in 1923, and following completion of the Mears Memorial Bridge, drove the ceremonial golden spike at Nenana, connecting Seward with Fairbanks. In 1928 the building was moved to its current location on Railway Avenue following a flood of Lowell Creek. Much of the railyard in Seward and the track north along the Turnagain Arm were destroyed in the Good Friday earthquake and the subsequent tsunami that hit the town, and the depot was out of use. It served as the headquarters for the Alaska Marine Highway's M/V Tustumena for a time. In 1998 it was sold to the Chugach Alaska Corporation after the corporation completed renovations, and the building served as a native cultural center for three years. It is currently owned by the Seward Association of the Advancement of Marine Science, dba, Alaska SeaLife Center, who lease it for operation as a cafe. Hoben Park, also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is adjacent to the depot. Both are located at the southernmost point in Seward.

Location

501 Railway Ave.
Seward, Kenai Peninsula County, Alaska
60.09368, -149.44079

Categories

TRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Nearby Historic Sites

Hoben Park
Industrial
0 mi
Van Gilder Hotel
Industrial
0.3 mi
St. Peter's Episcopal Church
Industrial
0.6 mi
Brown & Hawkins Store
Industrial
0.6 mi
Swetman House
Industrial
0.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Seward Depot listed on the National Register?

Seward Depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 15, 1987.

What type of historic resource is Seward Depot?

Seward Depot is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Seward Depot?

The period of significance for Seward Depot is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Seward Depot?

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