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The Dayton Historic Depot

The Dayton Historic Depot is a museum showcasing history of not only the local area’s railroading history but also its past in general. The depot itself, located in Dayton, Washington, is of Union Pacific heritage and the museum features railroading artifacts including a UP caboose on the ground, as well as local historical pieces. If you are interested in not only railroading but also history in general you are sure to find a visit to the depot very interesting.

The Union Pacific Railroad (UP), the largest and one of the most powerful railroads in the country has been with us since 1862, some 146 years. The Union Pacific is far older than any other American Class I railroad today with the Kansas City Southern in a nearby second at 107 years (beyond that CSX Transportation ranks in third at 27 years). In that time the railroad has become not only one of the most highly respected institutions in the nation but also has seen nearly every major railroading event in our country’s history, and accordingly has a very long and storied history.

The Union Pacific we know today began to take shape in 1982 when it purchased rival Western Pacific, which granted it access to northern California, and soon after this it would take over the Missouri Pacific to reach Chicago, St. Louis, and Texas. In 1988 the company grew even larger when it purchased the Katy (the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad) and in 1995 did the same with the Chicago & North Western. Finally, just a year later in 1996 the UP purchased the gigantic Southern Pacific, a one-time powerhouse railroad that by the time of its take over by UP was a company that was floundering (so much so that it had been purchased earlier by the much smaller Denver & Rio Grande Western).

The depot itself was constructed in the early 1880s by the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company, which had built a branch line to Dayton from Walla Walla to access the region's rich argiculutural resources. Not long after the line was opened the UP took over the OR&N in 1887 and thus began operating the line which served Dayton

The building remained an important part of Dayton until the 1970s when the Union Pacific finally closed its doors in 1972 after nearly 100 years of service. Fortunately the building was spared and UP sold the depot and nearby property to the Dayton Historical Depot Society in May of 1975. Just six years later in July of 1981 was reopened as a museum, the Dayton Historic Depot, and completely restored.

Today, the two story depot is an important part of Dayton's rich heritage and remains, almost completely untouched in its original condition, as the oldest still standing such building in the entire State of Washington.

For more reading on the Union Pacific you might want to consider Union Pacific Railroad from noted author Joe Welsh. Of course, being that the Union Pacific is so well known and has been around for so many years, hundreds of publications (many quite good) have been written about it detailing various subjects of the railroad. However, this book will at least give you a general overview and history of the UP (filled with many, excellent, historical and colorful photographs) at which point you can decide if you are interested in further books of study on the railroad. Even if you are a historian of the UP and have not seen this book I'm sure you will enjoy it!

Also, for more information and reading about excursion trains and railroad museums you might want to consider picking up Tourist Trains Guidebook from the editors of Kalmbach Publishing's Trains magazine. The book lists and reviews over 400 excursions and museums found throughout the country and is an excellent resource, which has received superb reviews by readers, if you're looking for one to visit. In any event, if you're interested in perhaps purchasing either (or both) of these books please visit the links below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

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