National Register of Historic Places

Union Station

Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky
Listed
August 10, 1975
Type
Building
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
75000777

About this property

The Union Station of Louisville, Kentucky is a historic railroad station that serves as offices for the Transit Authority of River City (TARC), as it has since mid-April 1980 after receiving a year-long restoration costing approximately $2 million. It was one of at least five union stations in Kentucky, amongst others located in Lexington, Covington, Paducah and Owensboro. It was one of three stations serving Louisville, the others being Central Station and Southern Railway Station. It superseded previous, smaller, railroad depots located in Louisville, most notably one located at Tenth and Maple in 1868–1869, and another L&N station built in 1858. The station was formally opened on September 7, 1891, by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. There was a claim made at the time that it was the largest railroad station in the Southern United States, covering forty acres (16 hectares). The other major station in Louisville was Central Station, serving the Baltimore and Ohio, the Illinois Central and other railroads.

Location

1000 W. Broadway
Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky
38.24631, -85.76904

Categories

ENGINEERINGTRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
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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Everything a full report reveals about Union Station

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Louisville and Nashville Railroad Office Building
Pre Contact
0.1 mi
Sears, Roebuck and Company Store
Civil War
0.2 mi
Harig, Koop & Company-Columbia Mantel Company
Industrial
0.2 mi
Knights of Pythias Temple
Industrial
0.2 mi
Chestnut Street Baptist Church/Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church (Additional Documentation)
Industrial
0.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Morgan's Raid into Indiana
1863Civil War
3.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Union Station listed on the National Register?

Union Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 10, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Union Station?

Union Station is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Union Station?

The period of significance for Union Station is recorded as the civil_war era.

Can I research the history near Union Station?

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