National Register of Historic Places

Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad-Wilton Depot

Wilton, Muscatine County, Iowa
Listed
August 24, 1988
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
88001326

About this property

Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad-Wilton Depot is an historic building located in Wilton, Iowa, United States. The Mississippi and Missouri Railroad built the first rail line in 1855 in what would be called Wilton Junction. The railroad became the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (CRI&P) a few years later. A wooden frame depot and a separate freight facility served the community. The railroad placed their repair and maintenance center in Wilton, and it remained here until 1881 when they started to move operations to Davenport and Muscatine. Rail service continued to increase along the CRI&P, which necessitated a new depot in Wilton. This single-story, brick Romanesque Revival structure was completed in 1898. Six passenger trains stopped in Wilton in 1911, and by 1922 same-day service to and from Chicago began. While the number of freight trains passing through town numbered five or six by 1947, the number of passenger trains declined to one local Chicago to Des Moines train, westbound-only in 1953. The station was finally dropped from passenger timetables in 1954. The depot received part-time freight service from 1963 to 1974, when the depot closed. After the building served as a freight depot it went into decline until the Wilton Historical Society obtained and restored it. The former depot was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. In 2016 it was included as a contributing property in the Wilton Commercial Historic District.

Location

Wilton, Muscatine County, Iowa
41.58774, -91.01633

Categories

TRANSPORTATION
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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Overview
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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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Notable People
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Nearby Historic Sites

Wilton Candy Kitchen
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0.1 mi
Leith, Doctor Alexander R. (A.R.) and Louisa J., House
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0.2 mi
Nicolaus, Henry E. and Ella M. (Knott), House
Industrial
0.2 mi
St. Paul's Episcopal Church and Parish Hall
Industrial
5.4 mi
Sinnett Octagon House
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9.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad-Wilton Depot listed on the National Register?

Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad-Wilton Depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 24, 1988.

What type of historic resource is Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad-Wilton Depot?

Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad-Wilton Depot is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad-Wilton Depot?

The period of significance for Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad-Wilton Depot is recorded as the industrial era.

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