Atchison Santa Fe Freight Depot -- Atchison KS
N 39° 33.599 W 095° 07.637
15S E 317247 N 4381082
The 1880 historic Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe depot was added to the National Register in 2001. In its heyday, this depot served one of the most important trailheads/railheads in the United States.
Waymark Code: WMGRAB
Location: Kansas, United States
Date Posted: 04/04/2013
Views: 4
The historic Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad depot at Atchison KS is a relic of the days when Atchison was a railhead for cattle, goods, and people making their way east or west.
Built in 1880, decades after Atchison KS had cemented its ststus as an important trailhead, railhead, and transportation hub, the depot is an impressive stone building with ATSF-red trim. The depot has been restored and is now home to the fascinating Atchison history museum.
The Atchison Chamber of Commerce operates a local visotor information center here as well. They have a blurb about the museum on their website: (
visit link)
"This museum in the restored Santa Fe Depot traces the history of the region. Exhibits highlight Atchison’s transition from a bend in the Missouri River to a busy commercial center for steamboats, westward-bound wagon trains and the railroads. Highlights include a display of Amelia Earhart’s personal effects, a large collection of rare guns dating back to the Revolutionary War and displays on the Lewis & Clark expedition. Open daily. Donations appreciated." [end]
From the Wonders of Atchison website, this short history of the depot building: (
visit link)
"(3) The Atchison Santa Fe Depot:
(1880) This 1880 Depot is built of Kansas native limestone and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The last remaining building of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in Atchison the Depot is truly the center of history and tourism for Atchison County – today housing the Atchison County Historical Society Museum, the Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Information Center with the Atchison Rail Museum (operated by the North East Kansas Railroaders, Inc.) just across the parking lot. The building was built in 1880 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad with an addition added around 1909 to double the number of freight bays. The unique freight house was used by the AT&SF as well as the Rock Island Railroad and thousands of tons of freight were delivered to Atchison County through this building. In continual use for the railroad into the 1970s the last years it was used by both the railroad and local moving companies for storage and freight. Donated to the City of Atchison in 1986 the building opened as the current museum and visitor center in 1989."