An early postcard depiction of Milwaukee Union Depot.
(Printed in Germany, Public domain, from the W. Lenheim Collection)
EVERETT STREET DEPOT
Everett Street Station, also called Milwaukee Union Station and Milwaukee Union Depot, was a railway station located in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, built by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (CMStP&P), commonly known as the Milwaukee Road. The station was located on West Everett Street between North 2nd Street and North 4th Street, and it featured a 140-foot-high clock tower—the largest in America at the time of construction. Designed by E. Townsend Mix in a "modern" functional style, the station combined the Gothic Revival style with elements drawing on Queen Anne and Romanesque Revival styles (such as stone archways) in an eclectic blend. Walter G. Berg gave a detailed description of the building in Buildings and Structures of American Railroads (1893).
The station faced the Fourth Ward Park (since renamed Zeidler Park), which afforded both a vantage point for viewing the station and a bucolic respite from the mechanized industrial culture of the railroad. The station served passengers from its opening in 1886 until it was replaced by Union Station (now Milwaukee Intermodal Station) on August 4, 1965. The station was damaged by fire a week after closing and razed the following year.
Photo of the Illinois Central streamliner "The Green Diamond" in Milwaukee on April 24, 1936. Before going into regular service, the IC took the train on a publicity tour in April and May of 1936. Milwaukee was one of the places the train visited. The train was at the Milwaukee Road station in Milwaukee, the sign for the depot can be seen in the background of this photo. (Illinois Central-photographer appears to be Dirsal., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Services
The Everett Street Station served as the home station of the Milwaukee Road, also serving the Wisconsin Central and Milwaukee Northern Railroads. The station was also home to the Milwaukee Road's Hiawatha passenger trains.
This early postcard depiction of the depot fails to show the top of the tower.
(E.C. Kropp Co., Milwaukee, WI, Public domain, via the W. Lenheim Collection)
Clock tower
After the clock tower had been lowered in the 1950s, the clock from the removed upper portion was installed to just above the roofline. Before demolition, one of the clock faces was removed and put into storage. It is now part of the Betty Brinn Children's Museum building, located at 929 E. Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee, which is very close to the site of the Chicago and North Western's razed Lakefront Depot.
Overview
General information
Location: West Everett Street between N. 2nd and N. 4th Streets, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
History
Opened: 1886
Closed: 1965, Razed: 1966
