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Re: (rshsdepot) Terminals before 1900
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "James Kelling" <james.kelling_@_nara.gov>
To: <rshsdepot_@_lists.railfan.net>
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 9:22 AM
Subject: Re: (rshsdepot) Terminals before 1900
> Concerning Indianapolis, I should have said, "according to some sources"
> (Trains Magazine, Jan. 2007) and Janet G. Potter's book on American
> railroad stations. Did they get it wrong?
>
> J. Kelling
>
Apparently so. All the reference works that I have give a construction date
for the current Indianapolis Union Station designed by Thomas Rodd as
1886 to1888. The original 1853 station was torn down to make way for the
present one. (See C.L.V. Meeks below, or Brian Solomon's : America's
Railroad Stations). or else check Wikipedia :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Station_(Indianapolis)
Incidentally, Carroll L.V. Meeks in his well-known book : The Railroad
Station An Architectural History (see Amazon listing)
http://www.amazon.com/Railroad-Station-Architectural-History/dp/0486286274
states that : "The first major American railroad station was the work of the
prodigy Thomas Tefft. He was only 22 when he designed the 1848 Union
Station at Providence, Rhode Island... As late as 1885 this station was voted
one of the 20 best buildings in the United States - a rare distinction for any
depot, let alone one thirty-seven years old. Shortly thereafter it burned down."
http://www.brown.edu/Courses/HA0191/tefftthomas.html I'm sure there were
other "Union" stations in New England even before Tefft's was built, as there
were many locations where two or more railroads met. Tefft's is simply the one
I can document with absolute certainty.
Jim.
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End of RSHSDepot Digest V1 #1517
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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org