An OVERVIEW and VISITING

The Restored Burlington Northern Depot & WWII Memorial Museum

 

                                        History

●  In 1903 when the CB&Q (Chicago, Burlington & Quincy) Railroad Depot

was completed, it was a model of modern convenience linking Red Oak Iowa to

more urban communities in worlds totally different from life here on the prairie. 

Rural communities were virtually inaccessible by any method of transportation

until lifelines of railroads joined them to more metropolitan societies.

 

●  Re-dedicated 20 DEC 2003, on the 100th anniversary of the first dedication,

The Restored Burlington Northern Depot now houses a WWII Memorial Museum

dedicated to all those who served in the Second World War, whether on the front

lines ( 1,100 active duty service participants were from Montgomery County Iowa )

or the home front.

 

●  During World War II, the citizens of Montgomery County Iowa lost more

men per capita than any other county in the United States.  Many active

service participants from the county were assigned to Company F ( Villisca )

and Company M ( Red Oak ).  During WWII, both units were part of the

168th Infantry Regiment, 34th ( “ Red Bull ) Infantry Division

 

                  Structure

●  The architecture of the Depot is the Richardson Romanesque Style

which influenced the first Chicago School of architecture and architects

such as Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright.  That Style, named after

Henry Hobson Richardson, generally follows Romanesque Revival Style,

incorporating 11th century southern French and Spanish Romanesque

characteristics, plus Richardson designs, which can be observed on

the Depot, such as:

* Recessed window arches (more extensive than the earlier Norman).

* Polychromatic use of two colors of stone.

* Hip (slopes to sides and ends) roof.

* Arches that sit on the columns.

* Stone stringer courses.

 

 ● A few city blocks directly north of the Depot is another structure constructed in

the Richardson Romanesque Style – the 1890 Montgomery County Courthouse.

 

The Restored Burlington Northern Depot & WWII Memorial Museum

is a project in the Depot Hill Historic Preservation District and is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places, cultural resources worthy of preservation,

administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

 

                                       Visiting

        ●  Your visit to the Depot and Museum, which is ADA accessible,

             can include docent and self-guided tours, an orientation in the

             auditorium with a rear projection TV viewing screen, use of the

             WWII and railroad history research library, and the gift shop.   

                                           FREE ADMISSION

                     Hours 10 a.m. – noon, Monday thru Friday

                      Holidays and weekends by appointment

                                  Group tours welcome !

             Meeting rooms and catering services are available

                     305 South 2nd Street, RED OAK IOWA 51566

        Telephone 712.623.6340       http://www.depothill.net

The Restored Burlington Northern Depot & WWII Memorial Museum

                  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

blogger statistics