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Time Machine: Cedar Rapids’ Milwaukee depot

Smaller passenger station served Milwaukee Road

Diane Fannon-Langton

Jan. 27, 2026 5:00 am

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Drawing of Milwaukee Passenger Station by Cyrus Fosmire, 1898
Drawing of Milwaukee Passenger Station by Cyrus Fosmire, 1898. (Gazette illustration)

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The iconic, two-block-long Union Station, between Third and Fifth avenues SE in Cedar Rapids, home to the Chicago & Northwestern and the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern railroads, builders and owners of the station, has often been referenced in Gazette historical stories over the years, but there was another railroad station in the city nearby, between First and Second avenues. Both were along the Fourth Street tracks.

When rumors began circulating that there would be a new Union Station opposite Greene Square the Milwaukee Road wasn’t included in the plans.

The new Union Station opened in January 1897. Confirmation of the second passenger station for the Milwaukee, and probably the Illinois Central, was announced in July. It was to be built on Fourth Street between First and Second avenues.

The city ordinance authorizing the new passenger station was passed by the city council in August 1897 and the contract for the building was given to L. Wallace & Co. of Cedar Rapids. Work was to begin immediately.

The Milwaukee’s assistant superintendent, C.A. Goodnow, told The Gazette, “Everything between the city and the company is now satisfactory, and nothing remains to be done. The depot will be built, and that as speedily as possible. I do not know when Mr. Wallace will commence work, but he ought to have it finished in less than 90 days.”

As work on the depot neared completion in early January 1898, brick pavement was laid for the depot platform. Later that month, The Gazette reported, “The depot is not very large, but it will be one of the handsomest, so far as the interior is concerned.”

The station opened to the public Feb. 2, 1898, “within rifle shot” of the Union Station.

The station it replaced, the old Southwestern depot, still stood “hidden from view by tall buildings and great warehouses that almost obscure the sunlight.” Wasps had built nests in the bare rafters. It was occupied only by railroad section men.

“Look for a building with the color of a weather-beaten boxcar and you have the first passenger station of the Milwaukee in Cedar Rapids,” The Gazette reported.

From the first shovelful of dirt on Sept. 20, 1897, to finishing, Feb. 5, 1898, construction was speedy, taking four months and 18 days.

“It was at least three years ago that the company began considering plans for a new station, but the hard times came on and the project was abandoned,” a Gazette story said in February 1898. “Last spring negotiations were opened up with the Northwestern and the Cedar Rapids Route in regard to accommodations at the union passenger station, but the deal fell through on account of the limited track room. It was then that Assistant Superintendent Goodnow broached the scheme of an individual station and Architect Frost of Chicago at once drew up a set of plans.”

The building was constructed of pressed brick with Bedford stone trim. It was 160 feet long and 38 feet wide. Its sheds covered 195 feet. Between them there was 15 feet of space for baggage and passengers.

“The ticket office will be in the center of the main building, with a gentlemen’s waiting room at one end and the ladies’ at the other,” The Gazette reported.

The second floor included suites for division freight and passenger agent B.H. O’Meara and the traveling auditor and roadmaster.

The color scheme for the station was sea green. The floors were polished maple.

Cedar Rapids Street Department crews began tearing down a section of the old Milwaukee depot on Fourth Street south of First Avenue on Dec. 14, 1955, to make way for continuation of the alley between First and Second Avenues. The alley property reverted to the city when the depot was abandoned and businesses in the vicinity petitioned to open the alley to alleviate delivery truck problems. Midwest Investment Co. owned the property on either side of the alley, part of which was used as parking.
Cedar Rapids Street Department crews began tearing down a section of the old Milwaukee depot on Fourth Street south of First Avenue on Dec. 14, 1955, to make way for continuation of the alley between First and Second avenues. The alley property reverted to the city when the depot was abandoned and businesses in the vicinity petitioned to open the alley to alleviate delivery truck problems. Midwest Investment Co. owned the property on either side of the alley, part of which was used as parking. (Gazette archives)

“Segment windows and arched panels add much to the beauty of the interior. The woodwork, which is built around walls of all rooms to a height of about 4 feet, is hand-rubbed red birch. In the east end of the general waiting room is a large mantel of St. Louis mottled brick with handsome specimens of the wood carver’s art on each side.”

The station was powered by its own steam plant and was lighted by both electricity and gas.

Supt. Goodnow said the railroad asked that the alley between First and Second avenues be vacated to accommodate loading and unloading of passengers.

Over the years, passengers from the surrounding countryside would hop on the trains in their hometowns in the morning, ride into Cedar Rapids for a day of shopping or business and return by train to their homes in the evening. As automobiles and highways improved, there was far less demand for rail travel.

The depot was used jointly by the Milwaukee and Illinois Central railroads. Illinois Central moved out in the early 1950s when it discontinued passenger service between Cedar Rapids and Manchester.

In March 1955, the Milwaukee passenger station was purchased by the Skogman Construction Co., which had acquired the former Rock Island building next door the year before. Skogman remodeled the Rock Island building into offices and demolished the depot to make way for parking.

“Sale of the old passenger depot marks another step in the transition in modern travel modes,” The Gazette reported.

Comments: D.fannonlangton@gmail.com

Cedar Rapids street department crews began tearing down a section of the old Milwaukee depot on Fourth Street south of First Avenue Dec. 7, 1955, to make way for continuation of the alley.
Cedar Rapids street department crews began tearing down a section of the old Milwaukee depot on Fourth Street south of First Avenue on Dec. 7, 1955, to make way for continuation of the alley. (Gazette archives)
City street department crews Wednesday (Dec. 7, 1955) began tearing down a section of the old Milwaukee depot on Fourth Street south of First Avenue to make way for continuation of the alley between First and Second avenues. The alley property reverted to the city when the depot was abandoned and business houses in the immediate vicinity petitioned for the alley extension because of a delivery truck problem. Midwest Investment Co. is owner of the property on either side of the alley route, part of which is being used as parking space.
City street department crews on Dec. 7, 1955, began tearing down a section of the old Milwaukee depot on Fourth Street south of First Avenue to make way for continuation of the alley between First and Second avenues. (Gazette archives)
City street department crews Wednesday (Dec. 7, 1955) began tearing down a section of the old Milwaukee depot on Fourth Street south of First Avenue to make way for continuation of the alley between First and Second avenues. The alley property reverted to the city when the depot was abandoned and business houses in the immediate vicinity petitioned for the alley extension because of a delivery truck problem. Midwest Investment Co. is owner of the property on either side of the alley route, part of which is being used as parking space.
City street department crews on Dec. 7, 1955, began tearing down a section of the old Milwaukee depot on Fourth Street south of First Avenue to make way for continuation of the alley between First and Second avenues. (Gazette archives)
City street department crews Wednesday (Dec. 7, 1955) began tearing down a section of the old Milwaukee depot on Fourth Street south of First Avenue to make way for continuation of the alley between First and Second avenues. The alley property reverted to the city when the depot was abandoned and business houses in the immediate vicinity petitioned for the alley extension because of a delivery truck problem. Midwest Investment Co. is owner of the property on either side of the alley route, part of which is being used as parking space.
City street department crews on Dec. 7, 1955, began tearing down a section of the old Milwaukee depot on Fourth Street south of First Avenue to make way for continuation of the alley between First and Second avenues. (Gazette archives)
City street department crews Wednesday (Dec. 7, 1955) began tearing down a section of the old Milwaukee depot on Fourth Street south of First Avenue to make way for continuation of the alley between First and Second avenues. The alley property reverted to the city when the depot was abandoned and business houses in the immediate vicinity petitioned for the alley extension because of a delivery truck problem. Midwest Investment Co. is owner of the property on either side of the alley route, part of which is being used as parking space.
City street department crews on Dec. 7, 1955, began tearing down a section of the old Milwaukee depot on Fourth Street south of First Avenue to make way for continuation of the alley between First and Second avenues. (Gazette archives)
Article Tags Time Machine, Railroads
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