Why go
The building rewards a slow look even if you are not catching a train. The side wings retain masonry from earlier stations, while the central 1914 hall uses broad arches and a barrel vault to make a public waiting room. Its restoration kept that room in everyday use.
What to look for
- The side wings have narrow windows and rusticated stonework.
- Columbine motifs appear on the historic building.
- The Great Hall has tall arched bays beneath a barrel vault.
The full story
Union Station grew in stages rather than arriving as one finished building. The side wings began with the 1881 depot and survived a fire in 1894; their facades were reused as the station changed. The central section dates from 1914. Its Great Hall served rail passengers as a waiting room, with other services nearby. Outside, the central block uses grand Beaux-Arts forms, including tall arches, clocks and a canopy. Inside, the decoration is more restrained: terrazzo flooring, light fixtures, marble accents and columbine details frame the broad hall. The twenty-first-century restoration returned the hall to public use while the upper floors became hotel space. That mix explains the building today: it remains a working station, but its old passenger room also serves people meeting, sitting or passing through downtown.