St. Louis Union Station - St. Louis, Missouri
Posted by: BruceS
N 38° 37.763 W 090° 12.437
15S E 743104 N 4279350
St. Louis Union Station is considered by many experts to be the grandest and the most important railway edifice erected before the close of the 19th-century. The National Historic Landmark has now been converted to a popular tourist destination.
Waymark Code: WM307Q
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 01/19/2008
Views: 159
"Once the largest and most beautiful railroad station in the country, St. Louis Union Station is a National Historic Landmark. The magnificently restored train station is now a festive marketplace with over 85 unique shops, restaurants, entertainment venues and a Hyatt Regency Hotel....
In 1889, the Terminal Railroad Association was formed to consolidate the numerous railway entries and exits in the St. Louis area. Its primary goal was to build a new Union Station. St. Louis architect and former railroader, Theodore C. Link, was chosen to design the station. His design included three main areas: the Headhouse, the Midway and the Train Shed. On September 1, 1894, St. Louis Union Station opened as the largest and most beautiful rail terminal in the United States. More than twice as large as its nearest competitor, the new Station featured a Grand Hall with gold leaf, Romanesque arches, 65-foot barrel-vaulted ceiling and stained glass windows. In its heyday during the 1940s, the station served more than 100,000 passengers a day. In 1970 St. Louis Union Station was designated a National Historic Landmark. With the decline of train travel, the last train pulled out of St. Louis Union Station in 1978. In August 1985, after extensive renovation, St. Louis Union Station celebrated its grand reopening as the largest adaptive re-use project in the United States featuring unique and exciting shops, restaurant, entertainment venues and hotel complex." ~ St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission factsheet
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