Railroad Stations

For more than a century, railroad stations were hubs of American life. In small towns, people visited the depot to catch up on news, send and receive packages, or share the latest gossip. In large cities, the station hosted a mix of daily commuters and long-distance travelers rushing to work or play. These lively buildings were as vibrant and varied as the communities they served.

Train Ready for Departure from Railroad Station, Los Angeles, California, circa 1896

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Railway Station at Haines Corners, Catskill Mountains, New York, circa 1902

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"Lackawanna Railway Station, Mt. Pocono, Pennsylvania," circa 1905 - 1

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Northern Pacific Railroad Station, Gardiner, Montana, circa 1905

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"North Station, Boston, Massachusetts," circa 1905 - 1

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Suburban Station of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad at Petoskey, Michigan, 1906

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"Railroad Station, Magnolia, Massachusetts," circa 1906

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Illinois Central Railroad Station in Chicago, Illinois, circa 1907

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"Union Pacific Tracks, Depot and Park, Cheyenne, Wyoming," 1908-1910

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Union Station, Washington, D.C., circa 1913

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"Aeroplane View, Michigan Central Terminal, Detroit, Michigan," circa 1915

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Lunch Wagon by the Railroad Depot, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, circa 1916 - 1

The railroad station always drew a crowd, making it the perfect place for a lunch wagon operator to set up shop -- especially if the depot had no lunch counter or restaurant of its own. This wagon is ready to serve hungry passengers at the Boston & Maine Railroad's depot in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.

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