Howard Branch: Eureka

Revised 2/3/2013

The first depot was built in 1879 and was 20'x80'x14' with 144' platform. The current depot, built in 1917, is a Non Standard Santa Fe County Seat Depot measuring 153.5 foot long, 25 ft 3 inches wide in lobby area. The baggage area is 22 ft 3 inches. An HO model is 22' x 4".

The depot became the property of Eureka when the rails were lifted. They sold it to Richie Oil. It is now owned by the Invena Corporation. Matt Wilson is the Principal Consultant and is very proud of the restoration process that is being done with the depot. He is sparing no expense to restore the exterior to as-built appearance and it will qualify for the Registry of Historic Buildings. The interior has the Santa Fe flavor but is modernized with updated electrical and information technology wiring.

On January 11, 2013, the depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The listing says, "The Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe (ATSF) Depot in Eureka was built in 1917 during a period of economic boom in south-central Kansas after the discovery of oil in Greenwood and Butler counties. This second-generation station was located on the Howard Branch, a 75-mile section of the ATSF line that connected Emporia in Lyon County to the north with Moline to the south in Elk County. It functioned as a combination depot that served both railway passengers and freight customers. The depot’s passenger service ended in the mid-1950s, and its freight business ended in 1971. The Prairie and Craftsman-style station is a one-story brick and stucco building trimmed with decorative wood corbels and has a tile roof. It was designed by ATSF architect E. A. Harrison and chief engineer C.F.W. Felt – both of Chicago. Harrison designed many impressive buildings while working for the railroad, several of which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The only other Kansas depot designed by Harrison that is listed in the National Register is in Newton. The Eureka ATSF depot was nominated for its local significance in the areas of transportation and architecture."

For more photos, click below:

• Historic photos.
• The exterior as it is being restored.
• The interior as it is being restore.
• A measured floorplan.