West Liberty station

West Liberty
Former Rock Island Line passenger rail station
The station building in 2008
General information
Location	405 North Elm St. West Liberty, Iowa
History
Opened	c. 1860
Closed	May 1970
Rebuilt	1897
Services
Preceding station Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Following station Iowa City toward Colorado Springs Main Line Wilton toward Chicago Centerdale toward Minneapolis Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway Nichols toward Burlington
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Passenger Depot
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Show map of Iowa Show map of the United States
Location	405 North Elm St. West Liberty, Iowa
Coordinates	41°34′17″N91°16′04″W / 41.57139°N 91.26778°W / 41.57139; -91.26778
NRHP reference No.	100008032
Added to NRHP	August 9, 2022

West Liberty station is an historic train station located in West Liberty, Iowa, United States.

History

The Minnesota and Missouri Railroad laid tracks through the area in 1855, bypassing the small settlement of Wapsinonoc. Settlers relocated nearer to the new railroad and the depot at West Liberty was established. The Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Minnesota Railway was built through the town in 1870. Being used for both railroads, the shared depot was commonly called Union station . ^[1] The modern station building was built in 1897 after the previous depot was destroyed in a fire. ^{[2] [3] [4]} In 1910, 35 daily passenger trains stopped at West Liberty. ^[3]

Passenger service ceased in May 1970, though the Rock Island continued to utilize the site as field offices. ^[3] By 1981, the station building had been boarded up as derelict. ^[5] It was rededicated after restoration in 2001, being converted to a museum. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 9, 2022. ^{[3] [6]}

References

1. "City of West Liberty". Muscatine County. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
2. "Liquor and Railroads". Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette. August 2, 1897. p. 8. Retrieved May 7, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
3. Sterba, Phyllis Owen (April 23, 2024). "The railroad arrives in West Liberty". West Liberty Index. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
4. Glischinksi, Steve (2007). Regional Railroads of the Midwest. Voyageur Press. p. 80. ISBN   9781610604956.
5. Clotfelter, Susan (August 17, 1983). "Rock Island wants to dismantle track". Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa City Press-Citizen. pp. 1, 6 . Retrieved May 7, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
6. "Rock Island Depot". West Liberty Heritage Foundation. Retrieved May 7, 2025.