Creston station

{{Infobox station

| style = Amtrak

| name = Creston, IA

| image = Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad-Creston Station 2012-09-30.jpg

| image_size =

| image_caption = The historic station in 2012

| address = Pine Avenue and Adams Street

| borough = Creston, Iowa

| country = United States

| coordinates = {{coord|41.0570|-94.3614|type:railwaystation_region:US-IA|display=inline,title}}

| other =

| platform = 1 side platform, 1 island platform

| tracks = 2

| parking = Yes

| bicycle =

| mpassengers = {{rail pass box|system=Amtrak|passengers={{Amtrak ridership|Creston}}{{Amtrak ridership|citationIA}}|pass_year={{Amtrak ridership|date}}}}

| opened = 1899

| rebuilt = 1969, 2019

| accessible = Yes

| code = {{Amtrak code|CRN}}

| owned = City of Creston

| zone =

| services = {{Adjacent stations|system=Amtrak|line=California Zephyr|left=Omaha|right=Osceola}}

| other_services_header = Former services

| other_services_collapsible = yes

| other_services = {{Adjacent stations|system1=Amtrak|line1=Desert Wind|left1=Omaha|right1=Osceola|note-mid1=Discontinued in 1997|line2=Pioneer|left2=Omaha|right2=Osceola|note-mid2=Discontinued in 1997|system3=Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad|line3=main|left3=Omaha|right3=Afton|line4=California Zephyr|left4=Omaha|right4=Ottumwa|line5=St. Joseph-Creston|left5=Kent|line6=Cumberland Branch|left6=Spaulding

}}

| nrhp = {{Infobox NRHP

| name = Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad-Creston Station

| nrhp_type =

| image = West end old station.jpg

| image_size = 300px

| caption =

| embed = yes

| mapframe = yes

| mapframe-custom = {{Infobox mapframe |shape=none |marker=rail |marker-color=#{{rcr|Amtrak}} |zoom=14 }}

| area =

| built = 1899

| architect = Burnham and Root

| architecture =

| added = August 15, 1973

| mpsub =

| refnum = 73000739{{NRISref|version=2010a}}

}}

Creston station is an Amtrak intercity train station in Creston, Iowa. The station is served by the Chicago–San Francisco Bay Area California Zephyr. Constructed by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) and opened in 1899, the station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad-Creston Station. Amtrak moved to the historic station in 2019 from a small station immediately to its east that had been used since 1969. Creston station is also used by the city of Creston as a city hall and community center, known as the Creston Municipal Complex.

History

File:Amtrak Creston IA.jpg

The station was built by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) in 1899 for $75,000.{{cite web|author=Lana L. Hicks|url=https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/67c7a6c5-8952-4d9c-aa8e-619021661164|title=Creston Railroad Depot|publisher=National Park Service|accessdate=April 6, 2020|date=July 26, 1973}} The Chicago architectural firm of Burnham and Root, who designed many of the CB&Q's stations, designed this station as well.{{cite web|url=http://www.crestoniowa.gov/PDF%20files/depothistory.pdf|title=Depot History|publisher=City of Creston, Iowa|accessdate=February 17, 2016|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309200754/http://www.crestoniowa.gov/PDF%20files/depothistory.pdf|archivedate=March 9, 2016}} Creston was a division headquarters, therefore all of the railroad's business in southwest Iowa operated from here. It also housed the office of the Master Carpenter, who oversaw all section and bridge work for the division, and the office of the trainmaster, who oversaw the switching and forming of trains in the Creston yards. In addition to the CB&Q mainline, two branch lines originated from here, and another railroad operated from the depot as well. Creston also had various maintenance shops and contained a roundhouse; both have since been demolished or destroyed by a tornado.{{cite book|title=Creston|isbn=978-0738583457|publisher=Arcadia Publishing Company|first=Dianne R.|last=Osmun|date=2011|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kwDE6NT6UFIC|accessdate=April 6, 2020}}{{rp|91}}

With passenger rail service in the United States declining rapidly in the 1960s, the large Creston station was deemed too expensive to maintain. In 1969, the CB&Q built a small brick and steel depot to the east of the original station which was later used by Amtrak after its creation in 1971.{{rp|110}} The original station was sold to the city of Creston for $1.{{rp|91}}

In 1970, Creston's mayor noted that the station would be a good site for a parking lot.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/29/us/train-stations-photos-middle-america.html|newspaper=The New York Times|first=Mitch|last=Smith|title=Grimy, Glorious, Gone. The Divergent Paths of 7 Train Stations|date=September 29, 2018|accessdate=April 6, 2020}} Local residents launched a "Save the Depot Committee", gathering 700 letters of support,{{rp|111}} and voted for a bond to support its renovation.{{cite web |url=https://www.greatamericanstations.com/stations/creston-ia-crn/ |title=Creston, IA (CRN) |website=The Great American Stations |publisher=Amtrak |access-date=August 4, 2024}} The station was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. With its future secure, the station was renovated and reopened in December 1978 with community rooms on the first floor and city government offices on the second floor.{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.crestoniowa.gov/|title=Creston's Restored Depot|publisher=City of Creston, Iowa|accessdate=February 17, 2016}}{{rp|111}}

In 2017, Amtrak signed a 20-year lease with Creston for use of the historic station. Following $1.3 million in improvements including making its waiting room accessible, Amtrak relocated to it on August 1, 2019; the nearby platforms of the 1969 station remain in use.{{cite news|url=https://www.crestonnews.com/2019/08/13/waiting-room-restored/azabnfc/|title=Waiting room restored|first=Luke|last=Edwards|newspaper=Creston News|date=August 15, 2019|accessdate=April 6, 2020}}{{cite news|url=http://www.crestonnews.com/2018/03/06/amtrak-depot-renovations-planned-for-2018/a242yf9/|newspaper=Creston News|date=March 7, 2018|title=Amtrak depot renovations planned for 2018|first=Alex|last=Felker|accessdate=April 13, 2018}}{{cite news|url=http://whotv.com/2018/03/08/rail-passengers-will-return-to-historic-creston-depot/|publisher=WHO-TV|date=March 8, 2018|first=Roger |last=Riley|title=Rail Passengers Will Return to Historic Creston Depot|accessdate=April 13, 2018}}

References

External links

[http://www.trainweb.org/usarail/creston.htm Creston Amtrak Stations (USA RailGuide – TrainWeb)]

Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1899

Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1969

Category:Creston, Iowa

Category:City and town halls in Iowa

Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Union County, Iowa

Category:Railway stations on the National Register of Historic Places in Iowa

Category:Amtrak stations in Iowa

Category:Former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad stations

Category:National Register of Historic Places in Union County, Iowa

Category:1899 establishments in Iowa

Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 2019