Downing Railroad Depot - Downing, Missouri - on Waymarking.com

"The Downing Depot is significant for several reasons: 1) it is the initial building associated with the city of Downing & the depot was important to the area as it grew into a trade center, 2) it is one of 2 remaining depots within a county which was once dotted by railroad centers, 3) and it plays a significant role in the preservation effort of Schuyler County.

Downing quickly became the hub for the area along the Keokuk & Western Railroad line which ran from Keokuk,Iowa to Red Oak; Iowa. In 1872, James Prime, an early settler donated the land to plat the City, for the railroad right-away & for the depot. By April of that year, the new structure began serving the needs of the community. People were coming and going, agricultural products such as tobacco & livestock were shipped to points east, and those much needed supplies, the news, and all forms of entertainment were brought to the frontier area. These factors made the Community of Downing a turn of the century boomtown with all the surrounding color & excitement. Almost everything & everyone came or went from Downing by train...

A railroad station was the door to the future and,the entrance to the outside world for a small frontier community. This depot continued to serve through the years and today is still as much a part of the history of Downing as when trains were rolling through with passengers & freight. When the Burlington Northern Railroad announced that it has no further use for the depot, the entire Downing community became involved in plans to preserve the building. Due to the fact that the depot sat on the railroad property, this effort was given no choice but to move the building to assure its preservation. The City purchased the structure, moved it on August 17, 1976 to a new park site which is to the S & W of its original location, and established it as a museum, a form in which it could continue to play an important role to the community. Once moved, attics began to produce stored treasures. The Museum is well visited & used by both the community & interested individuals from across the United States. The depot is Downing's center of history, their one great building, and a source of community pride." -  National Register Nomination Form

Downing Railroad Depot (added 1983 - Building - #83001037) Also known as Depot Museum City Park, Downing Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering Architect, builder, or engineer: Keokuk & Western Railroad County Architectural Style: No Style Listed Area of Significance: Transportation, Architecture, Commerce Period of Significance: 1850-1874, 1875-1899 Owner: Local Gov't Historic Function: Transportation Historic Sub-function: Rail-Related Current Function: Recreation And Culture, Vacant/Not In Use Current Sub-function: Museum

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