Aurora, IL: 1890 CB&Q Grade-Level Depot

The depot was moved west of downtown when the tracks were elevated.

Andy Zukowski posted
Burlington Railway Train Station. There is a lot going on in this card, you can see the Gold Medal Flour and F. E. Royston & Co. Distributors, Crosby Co., Schlitz, Motel Advertisements. Photo by Pratt Aurora, Illinois. 1907
Andy Hughes: Ah yes paper weights, awnings and open windows!
Andy Zukowski posted

Roger Kujawa posted
Aurora Illinois IL C B & Q Chicago Burlington Quincy RR Depot 1908 Postcard.

 

Larry Foht posted

Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad Depot

Aurora Illinois

         1907

Note: the billboards to the right of this photo!!

Larry Foht collection :

Mike Wyatt posted
This picture hangs up at a restaurant in Aurora, Illinois.
I'm guessing this is downtown Aurora.
Date and Photographer unknown.

Actually, Mike posted in four different groups that I know of. The information below is the union of the comments in those four postings.

William Bauer It's the old Aurora depot on LaSalle St. when the tracks were at grade before the viaduct. That depot was about where the fire department is now. The building next to it was the Tremont hotel then the street next to it is New York St.

The best information for when the viaduct was built was in the 1920's. A 1910 postcard was based on this photo.

Roger Kujawa posted
Burlington Route (C. B. & Q.) train depot Aurora Illinois (c. 1915)
Dennis DeBruler The photo this postcard was based on.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/168939583117779/permalink/1197070820304645/
Dennis DeBruler I think this is by the same artist, but the scan is not as good. Look how different the sky is.
http://www.family-images.com/.../IL%20Aurora%20CB&Q...
Dennis DeBruler I found a comment stating that this depot was about where the fire department is now. I believe the view is looking South. I tried finding the church in the left background. I had to go back to the original photo to make sense of the church's steeple. I think there is something in the background poking up behind this steeple (https://www.google.com/.../@41.7563654,-88.../data=!3m1!1e3) to make it look like the more traditional steeple we see in the postcard.

Roger Kujawa shared
Bill Pauley Replaced in 1922 when the elevation was completed.

Roger Kujawa shared

Bill Molony posted
The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad's depot at Aurora.
[This is obviously the depot before the tracks through town were elevated. It looks like the elevation project is what forced the depot to be moved west of downtown where it was less convenient.]

Jim Arvites posted
Postcard view of the old Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad passenger depot at Aurora, Illinois circa 1910. The station was torn down in 1915 to make room for a new depot.

William Shapotkin posted

Found this photo on the facebook page "Aurora, IL -- Then and Now." The building (distance at left) MAY be the Aurora CB&Q station (1st). Per the caption "Aurora House (NE cornere Galena and La Salle) built 1854, torn down 1883." Looks north. Might anyone be able to elaborate?

Charles Westberry IV The Metra runs in the same location correct?
Dennis DeBruler Metra used to run past this downtown area: https://towns-and-nature.blogspot.com/.../aurora-il...
Now it stops east of downtown where the old CB&Q roundhouse and shops used to be:
https://www.google.com/.../data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4...
Dennis DeBruler Before the track was elevated, the depot was in the downtown area. This would be a subsequent depot: https://www.facebook.com/groups/161019811058897/permalink/237586036735607/

Terry Spirek Flickr (source)
In this photo we see the eastside of CB&Q 1890 Aurora IL. rail station.