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1880 Wooden Railroad Depot
Built: 1880
Located: North of the corner of 14th & Front Streets
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The 1880 Depot
Originally the 1880 Depot was built at the crossroads of the north-south tracks of the old Chicago St. Paul Minneapolis & Omaha line (CStPM&O) and the east-west tracks of the Sioux City & Pacific line, approximately at the same location as the 1910 brick depot that many members of the community remember at Front and 14th streets. This 1880 depot was the second depot in Blair, taking over the function of the three-story Blair House Hotel & Depot built in 1869 that was located west of 16th Street and north of the railroad tracks. The 1880 depot was moved west a couple of blocks and used for storage and freight after the 1910 depot was built. Later it was again moved north across the tracks and west across Walker Avenue (today 16th Street) and stood basically unnoticed by most except railroad buffs and historians.
The 1882 there is mention that “a beautiful passenger depot has been built by the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha and Sioux City & Pacific railroads at Blair” (5) causing one to believe that both Railroad lines joined in building an passenger depot. Most likely, these early depots were a simple wood framed structure.
Resources
5 History of the State of Nebraska; A. T. Andreas, 1882
“The stations opened during the year 1881 are Wakefield, Wayne, Flournoy, Craig and Hiland. A beautiful passenger depot has been built by the C., St. P., M. & O. and S. C. & P. R. R., at Blair.”
“The Sioux City & Pacific running through from east to west, twenty miles; and the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha, twenty miles, running through from north to south. These two roads have completed an elegant and commodious frame union depot at Blair. ”
See also: A Town Named Blair by Lou Schmitz
1880 Depot
The 1880 Blair Depot South West Side of the 1880 Wooden Passenger Depot. The water tower stood on the north side of the tracks to the east. [Compare this photo with the 1910 brick depot from the same angle.] Real Photo Post Card [Black & White] from Pat Tripp Collection/Catalog No. DPT-000
1880 Depot – Details
1880 Depot – Details
1880 Depot
South Side of the early 1880 Passenger & Freight Depot from about 1900. Original Mounted Photograph from the BHPA Collection (gift from Ron Hineline, 2007) Catalog No. DPT-0019
Freight Depot and Feed Mill, circa: 2005
The Chicago & North Western Historical Society Website notes that the freight depot was 130 years when this photo was taken in 2005. The freight depot is located North of the tracks just west of 16th Streets. (Corner of 16th & State Streets) Original Photo Courtesy of Jay P. Anderson, Blair, Nebraska
1880 Blair Depot
View towards the Southeast along the “Omaha Line”. The northeast side of the 1880 Dept is shown on the far right. Holmquist Grain elevator and freight depot shown in center of photograph were located about 12th & Lincoln streets. The Blair Canning factory appears on the far left. Photo post card is embossed with the name Grossoehme Photo. The reverse side is marked with the number #389, 1983 Wash. Co Hist. Assn. BKComm. Post Card Size: 5 15/32″ x 3 7/16″ Original Real Photo Post Card from the Washington County Historical Association DPT-0016
1880 Depot – Details
1880 Depot – Details
1880 Depot – Details
1880 Depot – Sanborn Map
1880 Depot – North side
North Side of the early 1880 Passenger & Freight Depot from about 1900. Original at WCHA BHPA – Scan /Catalog No. DPT-0020
Roundhouse
From the 1894 plat map
2000s Satellite View
View north of railroad, west of 16th street Showing the 1880 depot before it was moved. /Catalog No. DPT-000
1880 Blair Depot
The First Sioux City & Pacific depot at Blair, Nebraska was built near the center of town shortly after the track was completed in 1869. The second more elaborate depot was constructed at the crossing with the CStPM&O two blocks further east in 1880. The 24′ x 64′ frame structure was set at an angle to accommodate both railroads. The photo shows this depot and a SC&P train about 1910 The Omaha Road track and crossing is just the other side of the depot. Real Photo Post Card from the Washington County Historical Association Collection. Catalog No. DPT-0008
1880 Blair Depot – Details
1880 Blair Depot – Details
1880 Blair Depot – Details
1880 Blair Depot – Details
1880 Depot – Details
1880 Depot – Details
1880 Depot – Details
Grain Elevators & Old Depot
Although no longer served by the railroad due to their limited capacity, some of the old metal covered grain elevators still exist for use by local feed and seed companies. This August 21, 1997 scene by Lou Schmitz shows two of these elevators, the former 1880 depot, now a storage shed, the former city power plant, and an old mill building. Photo: Lou Schmitz Collection. Scan from Chicago & North Western Historical Society Magazine, Fall 1997 Issue/Catalog No. DPT-0012
Freight Depot c. 1991
Photo: Lou Schmitz Collection. Scan from Chicago & North Western Historical Society Magazine – Fall 1997 Issue/Catalog No. DPT-0011
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Blair Historic Preservation Alliance | P.O. Box 94 | Blair, Nebraska 68008 | contact@blairhistory.com