Rock Island Depot and Freight House
Encyclopedia
The Rock Island Depot and Freight House is a two story railroad station and adjacent one story freight house from the turn of the 20th century. It was constructed in 1899 directly besides the Illinois River
in the American
city of Peoria, Illinois
. The depot and freight house are Peoria's last remaining historic reminders of the importance of the railroad in the city's past. The 1900 opening of the depot was attended by "throngs of populous;" at its height before the depression
of the 1880s, Peoria was a transportation hub, rivaled only by Chicago
in the Midwest. The station's clock tower was removed in 1939. The buildings were listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
After the end of train service, the building became known as River Station, and has been a restaurant, and afterwards a set of restaurants and bars.
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
in the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
city of Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
. The depot and freight house are Peoria's last remaining historic reminders of the importance of the railroad in the city's past. The 1900 opening of the depot was attended by "throngs of populous;" at its height before the depression
Depression (economics)
In economics, a depression is a sustained, long-term downturn in economic activity in one or more economies. It is a more severe downturn than a recession, which is seen by some economists as part of the modern business cycle....
of the 1880s, Peoria was a transportation hub, rivaled only by Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in the Midwest. The station's clock tower was removed in 1939. The buildings were listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
After the end of train service, the building became known as River Station, and has been a restaurant, and afterwards a set of restaurants and bars.