Springfield, IL: Wabash and Wabash/Great Western Depots

Great Western Depot: (Satellite, only the two story part is saved. But given that one of the 30 photos on Google shows an arson fire in 1965, I'm grateful for what we have left. I can't believe that Norfolk Southern does street running down 10th Street. Springfield was on the Wabash route between Detroit and Kansas City.) Google Maps labels this building as "Lincoln Depot."

Wabash Depot: (Satellite, according to the 1939 aerial photo below, it was on the west side of the tracks between Jefferson and Washington Streets.)

Gary Sams posted
Springfield, Illinois Wabash Depot

Dennis DeBruler: With a two story office building at one end and a single story part that had big freight doors, this looks like a freight house instead.

Jim Sinclair Is this not the same depot where Lincoln boarded the train that took him to Washington??

Robert McNeill commented on Gary's posting
Jim Sinclair yes, this was the Great Western depot where Lincoln made his farewell address from the car before leaving for the east.... It is now a law office with an interpretive front lower restored waiting and ticket area and a theater with a nice short video about its historic significance...here...

Jim Sinclair Thanks for the confirmation, Robert McNeill! I remember working on a signal gang in the early '80s and we were burying cable (to new signals, I think) at the crossing where this classic old depot stands. I had a fair amount of time to study it while picking, barring and shoveling a cable trench and I remember thinking to myself, "That's one cool old depot right there." I didn't know at the time that this was the depot where Lincoln made his farewell address just before he left for Washington. It sure looks better today than it did when I was working there... so MUCH better!

Robert McNeill commented on Gary's posting
Jim Sinclair , the weekend of May 3 2015 was the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Lincolns funeral in Springfield, My ancestor was one of the original pall bearers and I was fortunate to be a part of the reenactment...I took the picture above that weekend and here is one of me beside the reproduction hearse in the procession.with the Lincoln Home in the background..
Jimmy Fiedler How did the Great Western fit into Wabash history? Was it a predecessor of the Northern Cross?
Robert McNeill Jimmy Fiedler, here....read the paragraph beside the green timetable....http://www.wabashrhs.org/p/wabash-railroad.html

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Wabash Depot

Ross Brocksmith posted three images with the comment:

Wabash RR Station

Springfield

1901

Built 1868

Closed Feb 1939

Razed/Dismantled 1941

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Washington and Tenth?

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Image Source/Credit: 

Ernest Grassel Collection

Only seen in-person in the Local History Collection

Downtown Branch of Peoria Public Library

#peoriapubliclibrary  #peorialocalhistory  #ernestgrasselcollection

From Grassel’s volume titled  SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS

Richard Fiedler shared

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Since it was gone by 1941, I started with a 1939 aerial photo. I include the Old State Capitol on the left side to help identify Washington Street, which goes across the top of that city block.

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

A 1962 aerial confirms that the 1939 building was no longer standing.

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP