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 Caldwell Train Depot Posted by:  Volcanoguy
N 43° 40.044 W 116° 41.265
11T E 525173 N 4834980
Caldwell Train Depot sign on the depot.
Waymark Code: WMATEN
Location: Idaho, United States
Date Posted: 02/22/2011
Views: 5
This sign about the history of the depot is to the left of the main entrance.
Marker Name: Caldwell Train Depot
Marker Type: City
Marker Text:
In 1884, the Oregon Short Line Railroad reached “Bugtown,” later renamed Caldwell after C.A. “Alexander” Caldwell, who served as the President of the Idaho & Oregon Land Improvement Company at that time.
The current depot facility is actually the third structure constructed on the site and was approved by the Union Pacific Railroad’s General Superintendent, W.H. Bancroft in 1906. It was built at a cost of approximately $40,000 and it immediately became the center of Caldwell’s downtown activity. In 1995, the National Park Service recognized it as eligible for listing on the National Register for Historical Places. The building is now owned by the City of Caldwell after purchasing it for $1.00 from the Union Pacific Railroad Company in 1989 and successfully executing a 99-year lease agreement for the underlying parcel.
The Caldwell Train Depot and Plaza are a vital component of the recent Downtown Revitalization effort. The City of Caldwell received grant funding from the Idaho Department of Commerce & Labor to construct the plaza and surrounding parking areas. Idaho Transportation Department Enhancement Grants provided funding to restore the depot to its original grandeur. The Friends of the Caldwell Depot have provided volunteer service to create and operate the Depot Interpretive Center, dedicated on November 21, 2008. The Caldwell Train Depot remains both an architectural and historical icon to the city center and continues to serve as a community focal point.
Dedicated August 7, 2009 by The Friends of the Caldwell Depot, City of Caldwell, The Snake River Outpost No. 1811 of the Lucinda J. Saunders Chapter No. 1881 of E Clampus Vitus
County: Canyon
City: Caldwell
Date Dedicated: 8/7/2009
Group Responsible for Placement: The Friends of the Caldwell Depot
Marker Number: None
Web link(s) for additional information:
http://www.caldwelldepot.org/index.html
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Visit Instructions:
In your log, please say if you learned something new, and if you took any extra time to explore the area once you stopped at the historic marker waymark.
If possible please post a photo of you OR your GPS at the marker location.
Also if you know of any additional links not already mentioned about this bit of Idaho history please include that in your log.
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