Santa Fe Union Station - Galveston, Texas
N 29° 18.365 W 094° 47.801
15R E 325506 N 3243237
Union Station, Santa Fe Station and Shearn Moody Plaza are all names for the present structure at 25th Street and The Strand in Galveston.
Waymark Code: WM4GPM
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 08/22/2008
Views: 108
From a document posted in the Galveston Railroad Museum –
Union Station, Santa Fe Station and Shearn Moody Plaza are all names for the present structure at 25th Street and The Strand in Galveston. The station building was transformed gradually in three major phases resulting in the appearance of a single building.
The first railroad station on this site was the four-story red brick Union Station. It was considered the pride of Galveston when it was built in 1887 with seven tracks for passenger trains. The rails extended out to 28th Street where they converged into two main-line tracks, joining other railroads leading to the causeway.
The next phase of construction was completed in 1915 with the addition of an eight-story office building for the Santa Fe Railway. It was connected to the Union depot by a two-story annex. As the company grew, another block of office buildings was erected, creating a pair of twin towers and a terminus to The Strand. The first brick structure of the Santa Fe Railway was torn down to make room for it. In 1932 the art-deco project was faced with terra cotta and a tall central tower was added to match the original office buildings.
When the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway merged with Santa Fe’s other Texas lines, Galveston operations were transferred to other cities. The last scheduled passenger train left Galveston on the morning of April 11, 1967.
The building was purchased by the Moody Foundation of Galveston in the early 1980s. Interior and exterior renovations included conversion of the passenger waiting room into a railroad museum with city and county offices in the floors above. The old Union Station was re-dedicated as the Shearn Moody Plaza.
Is the station/depot currently used for railroad purposes?: No
Is the station/depot open to the public?: Yes
If the station/depot is not being used for railroad purposes, what is it currently used for?:
Railroad museum and tourist trips.
What rail lines does/did the station/depot serve?: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad
Station/Depot Web Site: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
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