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Surviving Iowa Railroad Stations

The information here covers surviving Iowa railroad stations. The Railroad Station Historical Society (RSHS) and my many thanks to them for such (the information here would not have been possible without their invaluable resources) provided much of the research for this page. If you would like to learn more about the Railroad Station Historical Society or are considering becoming a member please click here to visit their website.

Also, if you know of a railroad station or depot in your area that is not preserved or in danger of being demolished please take action to see if it can be saved. These buildings are beautiful works of architecture and it has been proven time and again that preserved historic railroad stations (whether still in use as a train station or not) increase the value and attractiveness of an area for both visitors and businesses (particularly if it is located in a downtown area). Not only that, but you will be saving an important piece of history!

Ackley: Originally built by the Illinois Central, used as a museum.

Adaza: Originally built by the Milwaukee Road, privately owned.

Adel: Originally built by the Milwaukee Road, used as a business.

Akron: Originally built by the Milwaukee Road, used as a business.

Albert City: Originally built by the Milwaukee Road, used as a museum.

Albia: The former freight depots of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy and Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway still stand. Also, the M&StL/Wabash passenger station remains.

Algona: Originally built by the Chicago & North Western Railway, vacant.

Alta: Originally built by the IC, used as a business.

Alton: The former freight depot of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad still stands, privately owned.

Amana: Originally built by the Milwaukee Road.

Ames: Originally built by the C&NW, used as a business.

Anamosa: Originally built by the Milwaukee Road, used as a museum.

Arthur: Originally built by the C&NW, used as a business.

Atlantic: Originally built by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad.

Audubon: Originally built by the Rock Island, used as a business.

Aurelia: Originally built by the IC, moved to Storm Lake.

Bagley: Originally built by the Milwaukee Road, moved to Bayard.

Barnes City: Originally built by the Rock Island.

Bartlett: Originally built by the Burlington, used as a business.

Bayard: The original depot here was built by the Milwaukee.

Beaver: Originally built by the C&NW, used as a museum.

Bedford: Originally built by the Burlington, used as a museum.

Belle Plaine: Originally built by the C&NW, vacant.

Bettendorf: Originally built by the Davenport, Rock Island & North Western Railway.

Bloomfield: Originally built by the Burlington, used as a daycare center.

Bonaparte: Originally built by the Rock Island, moved to Bentonsport and used as a business.

Boone: Two former C&NW freight depots here still stand. Also, two former C&NW office buildings here still stand, owned by UP.

Booneville: Originally built by the Rock Island, privately owned.

Bouton: Originally built by the Milwaukee Road, privately owned.

Breda: Originally built by the C&NW, used as a museum.

Burlington: The original Burlington passenger station here still stands, as well as one owned by the Rock Island.

Burt: The original C&NW freight depot here still stands.

Bussey: Originally built by the Wabash, relocated from Knoxville.

Calamus: Originally built by the C&NW, privately owned.

Calmar: Originally built by the Milwaukee Road, used as a municipal building.

Calumet: Originally built by the IC.

Camanche: Originally built by the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad. Also, the former DRI&NW passenger station here still stands, used as a museum.

Cambridge: The original Rock Island freight depot here still stands.

Carnforth: Originally built by the Rock Island.

Carroll: Originally built by the Chicago Great Western Railway, used by the local chamber of commerce. Also, the C&NW's passenger depot here still stands as well as two freight depots.

Cartersville: Originally built by the C&NW, privately owned.

Cedar: Originally built by the Burlington, privately owned.

Cedar Falls: Originally built by the Rock Island, used as a business.

Cedar Rapids: Originally built by the Milwaukee Road, used as a museum. Also, the former BCR&N office building here still stands, used as a business.

Centerville: Originally built by the Burlington. Also, the former Rock Island depot here still stands.

Central City: Originally built by the IC.

Chariton: The former Burlington freight and passenger depots here still stand as well as the former Rock Island passenger depot.

Charles City: Originally built by the Milwaukee Road.

Cherokee: Originally built by the IC, used as a museum. Also, the former IC freight depot here still stands.

Clarinda: Originally built by the Burlington, used by local community college. Also, the former CB&Q freight depot here still stands.

Clarion: The former CGW passenger station here still stands, as well as the Rock Island's former passenger station.

Clarksville: Originally built by the CGW.

Clear Lake: Originally built by the Milwaukee Road, privately owned.

Cleghorn: Originally built by the Illinois Central, privately owned.

Clermont: Originally built by the Rock Island.

Clinton: The original freight and passenger stations built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands. Also, the former C&NW freight and passenger stations here still stand, used as businesses.

Clive: The original passenger station built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, used as a museum.

Cornell: The original passenger depot built by the M&StL here still stands, privately owned.

Corning: The original passenger station built by the CB&Q here still stands.

Corydon: The original passenger station built by the CB&Q here still stands.

Council Bluffs: Passenger stations built by the Rock Island and CGW here still stand.

Creston: The original passenger station built by the CB&Q here still stands.

Cylinder: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Dallas Center: The original passenger depot built by the M&StL here still stands, used as a business.

Davenport: Davenport Union Station (CMStP&P, DRI&NW, and Burlington) remains restored as a welcome center. Also freight depots of the Milwaukee Road and Rock Island still stand.

Dawson: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Dayton: The original passenger depot built by the M&StL here still stands.

Decorah: The original passenger depots built by the Milwaukee Road and Rock Island here still stand. Also, the former CMStP&P freight depot remains.

Deep River: The original freight depot built by the C&NW here still stands.

Delmar: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, used as a museum.

Denison: The original passenger depots built by the C&NW and IC here still stand.

Des Moines: The original passenger stations built by the CGW and Rock Island still stands.

Dike: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands.

Donahue: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Donnellson: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands, used as a museum.

Douds: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a museum.

Dows: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island remains, used as a welcome center.

Dubuque: The original passenger and freight depots built by the CB&Q here still stand, used as a museum.

Dunkerton: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands.

Durham: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands, vacant.

Earlham: The original freight depot built by the Rock Island here still stands.

Eldon: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a museum.

Eldora: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands, used as a welcome center.

Elkader: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Ellsworth: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands, privately owned.

Elma: The original passenger and freight depots built by the CGW here still stand, used as a museum.

Elmira: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, privately owned.

Fairfield: The original passenger depots built by the Rock Island and CB&W here still stand. Also, the CB&Q freight depot remains.

Farmersville: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Farmington: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands.

Farragut: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q remains, vacant.

Fayette: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, used as a museum.

Fonda: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands.

Fontanelle: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands, used as a museum and moved to Greenfield.

Forest City: The original passenger depot built by the M&StL here still stands.

Fort Atkinson: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Fort Dodge: The original passenger depots built by the CGW and M&StL here still stand. Also, the IC's freight depot remains.

Fort Madison: The original passenger depots built by the Santa Fe and CB&Q here still stand. Also, the AT&SF's freight depot remains.

Fostoria: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Fredericksburg: The original passenger depot built by the CGW here still stands, used as a museum.

Gaynor: The original freight depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, used as a business.

Gaza: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands, privately owned.

George: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands, privately owned.

Glenwood: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands.

Gowrie: The original passenger depot built by the M&StL here still stands.

Grafton: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, used as a museum.

Greene: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a museum.

Greenfield: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands, gutted. Also, the CB&Q's passenger depot from Fontanelle is used as the Heritage Center Museum here.

Grinnell: The original passenger depot built by the M&StL here still stands, used as a business.

Guttenburg: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Hampton: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a museum.

Harlan: The original passenger depots built by the C&NW and CB&Q here still stand.

Harvey: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands, moved to Durham.

Haverhill: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Hawarden: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands, used as a municipal building.

Hedrick: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road/M&StL here still stands, used as a business.

Hillsboro: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands, moved to Mt. Pleasant and used as a museum.

Holmes: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, privately owned.

Hopkinton: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Hornick: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, used as a museum.

Hudson: The original passenger depot built by the CGW here still stands, used as a museum.

Humboldt: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands, used as a business.

Humeston: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands, used as a museum.

Ida Grove: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands.

Independence: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands, used as a museum.

Iowa City: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a business.

Iowa Falls: The original passenger and freight depots built by the IC here still stand, vacant.

Jefferson: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, used as a museum.

Kalona: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a museum.

Keokuk: The original passenger depot built by the Toledo, Peoria & Western here still stands, owned by the Keokuk Junction Railway. Also, Keokuk Union Depot (CB&Q, Wabash Railroad, Rock Island) remains, vacant.

Knierim: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands.

Knoxville: The original passenger depot built by the Wabash here still stands.

Lake City: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands, used as a business.

Lake Park: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, restored.

Lake View: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands, privately owned.

Lamoni: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands, used as a municipal building.

La Motte: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, used as a business and museum.

La Porte City: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, owned by the Iowa Northern Railway.

Leeds: The original passenger depot built by the Chicago St. Paul Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad here still stands, used as a business.

Lehigh: The original passenger depot built by the CGW here still stands, used as a museum.

Lenox: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands.

Leon: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands.

Lester: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a business.

Levertt: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, restored.

Lidderdale: The original passenger depot built by the CGW here still stands.

Lone Rock: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands, used as a museum.

Lone Tree: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands.

Lorimor: The original passenger depot built by the CGW here still stands, used as a business.

Lowden: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands, used as a museum.

Luana: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, used as a business.

Lyons: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Maclay: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a business.

Lenox: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands.

Mallard: The original passenger depot built by the M&StL here still stands.

Manchester: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands.

Manson: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands.

Marengo: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a museum.

Marathon: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a museum.

Marion: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Marquette: The original passenger and freight depots built by the Milwaukee Road here still stand.

Marshalltown: The original freight depot built by the M&StL here still stands.

Martelle: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, privately owned.

Marion: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Mason City: The original passenger depots built by the Milwaukee Road and CGW here still stand.

McPaul: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands, privately owned.

Melbourne: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Meriden: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands, privately owned.

Milton: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands.

Minburn: The original passenger depot built by the Des Moines Valley Railroad here still stands.

Moingona: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands, used as a museum.

Moorehead: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands, used as a museum.

Moravia: The original passenger depots built by the Milwaukee Road and Wabash here still stand.

Mt. Ayr: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands, used as a museum.

Mt. Pleasant: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands, used as an Amtrak stop.

Nashua: The original passenger depots built by the IC and CGW here still stand, the former used as a museum.

New Albin: The original passenger and freight depots built by the Milwaukee Road here still stand.

Newton: The original passenger and freight depots built by the Rock Island here still stand. Also, the former passenger depot of the M&StL remains.

Oelwein: The original passenger depot built by the CGW here still stands, used as a municipal building.

Ogden: The original passenger depot built by the M&StL here still stands.

Olin: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, used as a museum.

Onawa: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands, used as a museum.

Osage: The original passenger depots built by the CGW and IC here still stand.

Osborne: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, used as a museum and welcome center.

Osceola: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands, owned by BNSF.

Oskaloosa: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands.

Ottumwa: The second passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands (built in the 1950s, the original was constructed in the 1890s), used as a museum and Amtrak stop. Also, a former Rock Island freight depot remains.

Owasa: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands, used as a welcome center.

Panora: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, used as a museum.

Parkersburg: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands, used as a museum.

Pella: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a museum.

Perry: The original passenger depot built by the M&StL here still stands, vacant.

Pilot Grove: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands, privately owned.

Pisgah: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands, used as a municipal building.

Plainfield: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands, used as a municipal building.

Pocahontas: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a museum.

Pomery: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands, used as offices.

Preston: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Primghar: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands, privately owned.

Pulaski: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands.

Redfield: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Red Oak: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands, used as a museum.

Riceville: The original freight depot built by the CGW here still stands.

Rockford: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a museum.

Rock Rapids: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a museum.

Rock Valley: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Rubio: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Sac City: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands, used as a business.

Saint Ansgor: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands.

Scotch Grove: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

Sergeant Bluff: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands.

Sheldon: The original passenger depot built by the CStPM&O here still stands, used by a business. Also, the former IC freight depot here still stands, privately owned.

Shenandoah: The original passenger depots built by the CB&Q and Wabash here still stand.

Sioux Center: The original passenger depot built by the Great Northern Railway here still stands, owned by BNSF.

Sioux City: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, used as offices. Also, the former freight depots of the Milwaukee and IC here still stand.

Sioux Rapids: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, privately owned.

Spencer: The original passenger depot built by the M&StL here still stands.

Spirit Lake: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, used as a museum.

Stacyville: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands, privately owned.

Stanhope: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands, used as a museum and business.

Stockport: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands, used as a museum.

Storm Lake: The original passenger depots built by the IC and M&StL here still stand.

Story City: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands, moved to Randall and privately owned.

Stuart: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, vacant.

Sulfur Springs: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands, privately owned.

Tara: The original passenger depot built by the M&StL here still stands, abandoned.

Titonka: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands.

Traer: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands, used as a business.

Triboji Beach: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a business.

Turin: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands, privately owned.

Ute: The original passenger depots built by the Milwaukee Road and C&NW here still stand, both privately owned.

Victor: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands, used as a museum.

Villisca: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands.

Vinton: The original passenger and freight depots built by the Rock Island here still stands.

Volga: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, privately owned.

Wadena: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, owned by the city.

Walker: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a museum.

Wall Lake: The original passenger depot built by the C&NW here still stands.

Washington: The original passenger depots built by the Milwaukee Road and CB&Q here still stand. Also, two former Rock Island passenger stations and a freight depot here remain.

Waterloo: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a business. Also the former CGW freight depot here remains, used as a business.

Waucoma: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, privately owned.

Waverly: The original passenger depots built by the CGW and Rock Island here still stand, used as businesses.

Webb: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a business.

Webster City: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands, used as a business.

Weldon: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands.

Wesley: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands.

West Chester: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, privately owned.

West Des Moines: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a business.

West Liberty: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a museum.

Williams: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands.

Wilton: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a museum.

Winterset: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, used as a museum.

Wiota: The original passenger depot built by the Rock Island here still stands, privately owned.

Woodbine: The original passenger depot built by the IC here still stands, used as a museum.

Woodward: The original passenger depot built by the Milwaukee Road here still stands, used as a business.

Wyman: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands, privately owned.

Yarmouth: The original passenger depot built by the CB&Q here still stands, used as a museum.

Zearing: The original passenger depot built by the M&StL here still stands, used as a business.

Zwingle: The original passenger depot built by the Bellevue & Cascade Railroad, privately owned.

Thanks to Jack McLaughlin for help with the information on this page.

For more information about surviving Iowa railroad stations and structures please click here.


While all books featuring a general history of railroad stations in this country can certainly not cover them all two books which do a very good job of covering a general history of such are Train Stations: Whistle Stops, Rail Stations of North America by author Alexander Mitchell and The American Train Depot & Roundhouse from author Hans Halberstadt. While, again, both books are just a very general overview of some of the great stations that once stood in this country they are both quite good with lots of historical photographs, including that of Grand Central Terminal and the late Pennsylvania Station (it also gives a history of the thousands of small depots that existed in most communities). Mr. Halberstadt’s book particularly covers the history of railroad stations quite well, delving deeper into exactly what went on, on a daily basis in and around them. All in all if you’re interested in stations and depots, or would like to learn more about exactly how they worked you’re sure to enjoy either book, or both. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing these books please visit The Railroad Diamond by clicking the tab in the menu to your left marked "TRD Store".



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