Lamar Depot

Lamar Depot is a historic train station located in Lamar, Colorado, serving as a significant transportation hub for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The depot has played a crucial role in the development of Lamar, Colorado, facilitating the growth of agriculture in the region, particularly in the production of sugar beets and wheat, with major buyers including Great Western Sugar Company and Cargill. The depot's history is closely tied to the expansion of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in the late 19th century, which connected Lamar, Colorado to major cities like Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, and Los Angeles, California, with notable stops at La Junta, Colorado, Trinidad, Colorado, and Raton, New Mexico. The depot has also been an important stop for Amtrak's Southwest Chief route, which runs from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California, passing through Albuquerque, New Mexico, Gallup, New Mexico, and Barstow, California.

● History

The history of the Lamar Depot dates back to the late 19th century, when the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway expanded its operations in the region, with notable contributions from Cyrus K. Holliday, William F. Cody, and Fred Harvey. The depot was built in 1907 to serve the growing community of Lamar, Colorado, which was founded in 1886 and named after Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, a United States Supreme Court justice, and was influenced by the Kansas Pacific Railway and the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. The depot played a significant role in the development of the region, facilitating the transportation of goods and people between Lamar, Colorado and other major cities, including Denver, Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Pueblo, Colorado, with connections to Union Pacific Railroad and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. The depot also served as a major stop for the Harvey House chain, which provided food and lodging to travelers, with notable locations at Las Vegas, New Mexico, Gallup, New Mexico, and Barstow, California, and was popularized by Fred Harvey and Helen Hunt Jackson.

● Architecture

The Lamar Depot is an example of Mission Revival architecture, characterized by its use of stucco and tile roofing, with influences from Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and Southwestern architecture. The depot's design is similar to other Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway stations, such as the Albuquerque, New Mexico depot and the La Junta, Colorado depot, which were designed by Louis Curtiss and Frank Lloyd Wright. The depot features a large waiting room, a ticket office, and a freight room, with decorative elements such as wooden beams and wrought iron work, similar to those found in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Tucson, Arizona, and San Antonio, Texas. The depot's architecture is also reminiscent of the El Paso, Texas depot and the San Bernardino, California depot, which were built during the same period, with contributions from Daniel Burnham and John Galen Howard.

● Preservation

In recent years, efforts have been made to preserve the Lamar Depot, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, along with other notable landmarks like the Alamo and the Golden Gate Bridge. The depot has undergone several restoration projects, including a major renovation in 2007 that restored the building's original stucco and tile roofing, with funding from the National Park Service and the Colorado Historical Society. The depot is now owned by the City of Lamar, Colorado, which has worked to maintain the building's historic integrity, with support from the Lamar Historic Preservation Commission and the Colorado Preservation, Inc.. The depot has also been recognized by the American Institute of Architects and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, along with other notable historic buildings like the White House and the United States Capitol.

● Operations

Today, the Lamar Depot is still an active train station, serving as a stop for Amtrak's Southwest Chief route, which runs from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California, with connections to Greyhound Lines and Burlington Trailways. The depot is also used by the BNSF Railway for freight operations, with major shipments of coal and grain passing through the depot, bound for destinations like Houston, Texas, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Seattle, Washington. The depot is staffed by Amtrak employees, who provide customer service and ticketing operations, with support from the Lamar Chamber of Commerce and the Colorado Tourism Office. The depot has also been used for special events, such as the Lamar Days celebration, which takes place every summer, with participation from the Lamar Community College and the Lamar Public Library.

● Significance

The Lamar Depot is significant not only for its historic architecture but also for its role in the development of the region, with contributions from notable figures like Kit Carson, John Wesley Powell, and William Jackson Palmer. The depot has played a crucial role in the growth of Lamar, Colorado, facilitating the transportation of goods and people between the city and other major destinations, including Denver, Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Pueblo, Colorado, with connections to Union Pacific Railroad and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. The depot has also been recognized for its cultural significance, with its Mission Revival architecture reflecting the region's Spanish and Mexican heritage, similar to the Albuquerque, New Mexico depot and the Santa Fe, New Mexico depot, which were influenced by Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and Pueblo Revival architecture. The depot has been the subject of several studies and publications, including works by the National Park Service and the Colorado Historical Society, with contributions from notable historians like Stephen Ambrose and David McCullough.