Union Station and the Santa Fe
1914
1911
The City Commission forced the railroads to elevate the East Douglas tracks, which solved the problem of having the Santa Fe, Rock Island and Frisco lines crossing and often blocking the street. It also proposed that a single, or unified, station serve all the lines.
1914
Union Station opened at a cost of $2.5 million and served Wichita in grand style. The building was a hub of activity, where travelers and their loved ones gathered in the huge lobby for cheerful welcomes and emotional farewells. Union Station closed in 1980.
Santa Fe
Wichita was named a city in 1870 but growth was threatened when Santa Fe Railway chose not to build south of Newton in 1871. James Mead immediately wrote the company and Santa Fe offered to extend its tracks to Wichita for a price: $200,000 in county bonds and the establishment of a local company to handle operations.
In less than three months the Wichita and Southwestern Railroad Co. formed with Mead as president while county residents voted for the bonds. The local company soon became part of the Santa Fe system.
Marker is on Mosley near 1st Street, on the left when traveling north.
Courtesy hmdb.org
