Union Passenger Station, Third West & South Temple, Salt Lake City

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS UTAH,18-SAlCI,25-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Union Passenger Station provided joint depot services for the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City Railroad and the Oregon Short Line Railroad. The Chateauesque structure was completed in four years after the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City Railroad constructed a new rail link between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles, California. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical Hi story: 1. Date of erection: On September 12, the Deseret Evening News announced the plans and published a map showing improvements for the Oregon Short Line including a proposed depot on the present site. On September 1, the same paper published reports that the Oregon Short Line was given permission to go ahead with their proposed improvements.

On July 31, the Deseret Evening News carried an article and pictures of the completed station which was begun on February 9, 2. Architect: D. J. Patterson, architect of the Southern Pacific Company, under the direction of John D. Isaacs, consulting engineer of the Harriman system (Deseret Evening News, July 31, 3. Original and subsequent owners: The Union Passenger Station is built on lot 8, Block 80, and lots 1 and 8, Block 83, Plat A, of the Salt Lake City Survey. The following references tracing the title of these lots are found in the Salt Lake County, Utah, Recorder's Office, Salt Lake City, Utah: Deed, July 13, recorded July 15, in Book D, pp.

Aurelius Miner, sole administrator of the Estate of Thomas Tennant, deceased, sold all of lots Block 83, to the Utah Central Railroad for UNION PASSENGER STATION (Union Pacific Depot) HABS No. UT-88 (Page 2) Deed, October 24, recorded December 9, in Book G, pp. Daniel H. Wells, Mayor of Salt Lake City, sold lots Block 83, to Utah Central Railroad for Deed, March 22, recorded March 31, in Book F, p. Brigham Young, sold the northern half of lot 8, Block 80, to the Utah Southern Railroad Company for Deed, December 15, recorded February 4, in Book H, p, Feramanz Little sold the southern half of lot 8, Block 80, to the Utah Southern Railroad Company for 4. Original plans, construction: The original plans are on file at the main headquarters of the Union Pacific in Omaha, Nebraska.

Most of these drawings are dated beween March and Ocrober, and one drawing dated June 30, is of the "Shed and Enclosure on the South End of the Concourse" constructed in (removed in The following information on the construction of the station is taken from the peseret Evening News, July 31, The structure is built on piles because the site is believed to have been an old river bed. The structure is of reinforced concrete with a veneer of stone from Glencoe, Wyoming, on the first story. The remaining wall surfaces are of Salt Lake City pressed brick. Cornices are of galvanized iron and iron railings of an ornamental design decorated the towers and the hip roof of the central portion. A large clock, in diameter, was intended to be placed in the clock tower.

The boiler plant was in a separate building 300 feet away. There are several decorative features on the interior of the vaulted (main) waiting room. The most notable of these are two oil-on-canvas paintings at the north and south ends of the room by San Francisco artist John McQuarrie. The painting on the south wall depicts Brigham Young exclaiming "This is the Place" and on the north wall is the "Driving of the Golden Spike." High on the west wall of the same room are a series of five arched stained glass windows depicting various kinds of rail transportation. 5. Alterations and additions: The lettering "S.P.L.A. & Union Station, and O.S.L." on the entablature of the main (east) facade have been removed.

These were indicated in the original drawings and can be seen in early photographs of the east facade. UNION PASSENGER STATION (Union Pacific Depot HABS No. UT-88 (Page 3) The clock indicated in the original drawings and visible in photographs of the structure (located in the center of the roof of the central block) has been removed and replaced with a "Union Pacific Railroad" emblem. A large block letter "Union Pacific" sign has been placed above the balustrade of the central block surrounding the U.P. emblem. The cast-iron balustrade on the roof of the central block (seen in early photographs) has been removed.

The shed roof over the west concourse was removed in Interior repainting of the main waiting room has concealed some of the original stenciling and gilding surrounding the murals at the north and south ends of the room. B. Historical Context: The completion of the Union Passenger Station3 which provided joint services for the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad and the Oregon Short Line, was the culmination of a series of events, the most important of which was the establishment of a more direct rail route to southern California. In the early there existed a rivalry between Senator William A. Clark of Montana and the E. H, Harriman railroad interests over a proposed rail link between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles, California.

A settlement was reached in June of and in September of that year maps were published indicating the proposed improvements for the Oregon Short Line in Salt Lake City, including a new depot to be shared with the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad. The new direct route was completed and opened for business in the spring of By eliminating the need to travel to southern California via Sacramento (on Harriman-controlled systems), passengers and freight traveled more quickly and inexpensively due to a savings of over 400 miles between the two cities. C. Sources of Information: 1. Architectural drawings: A set of original plans is on file at Union Pacific Headquarters, Omaha, Nebraska. 2.

Early views: The following views are found in the Photograph Collection of the Utah State Historical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah: Station under construction, looking southwest, West side before construction of concourse '.roof,' looking northeast. Part of a stereo view. UNION PASSENGER STATION (Union Pacific Depot) HABS No. UT-88 (Page 4) West and south sides, concourse roof under construction. East front, looking northwest, showing streetcar tracks under construction on Third West. ca. East front. Salt Lake Tribune Collection. East front, with new clock and Union Pacific emblem and block letter sign. East front, looking northwest. Interior view of main waiting room, looking north. Photographed by Earl Lyman. L. V. McNeely Collection. P.I.

Painting by John McQuarrie depicting "Driving of the Golden Spike," north wall of main waiting room. John D. Giles Collection. Painting by John McQuarrie of "This is the Place," south wall of main waiting room. John D. Giles Collection. The Deseret Evening News, July 31, p. 1, contains an exterior view of the depot and an interior view of the waiting room. A rendering of the main facade of the depot was published one year prior to its completion in E. V. Fohlin's Salt Lake Past and Present, p. 98. 3.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS UTAH,18-SAlCI,25-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Deseret Evening News. September 12, April 14, and September 19, Fohlin, E. V. Salt Lake Past and Present. Salt Lake City, Utah: E. V. Fohlin, ~~ Journal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for "the years Church Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah. Salt Lake Outlook. 1 (October, 42, and 1 (December, 50. "Short<*ti.ne Passenger Depot to be Formally Opened Next Week." Deseret;,Evening News, July 31, p. 1. UNION PASSENGER STATION {Union Pacific Depot) HABS No. UT-88 (Page 5) Trottman, Nelson. History of the Union Pacific. New York: The Ronald Press, Utah Writers Program, Works Progress Administration. Utah: A Guide to the State. New York: Hastings House, Prepared by: Peter L. Goss Architectural Historian Graduate School of Architecture University of Utah November, PART II.

ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1. Architectural character: A twin-towered Chateauesque structure. 2. Condition of fabric: excellent. B. Description of Exterior: 1. Overall dimensions: x 2. Foundations: poured-in-place concrete. 3. Walls: First floor, east front is sandstone. Upper walls of east front and all other walls are red brick. 4. Structural system, framing: first-floor slabs are concrete on grade or suspended; upper floors are concrete beams and slab with concrete columns. Roof system is steel. 5. Porches: main entrance on east side has a canopy projecting over sidewalk. 6. Chimneys: one, brick. 7. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: east front doors are grouped in fours and have large lights and transom windows. West side has segmentally arched openings.

UNION PASSENGER STATION (Union Pacific Depot) HABS No. UT-88 (Page 6) b. Windows and shutters: Center portion of east front has three large round-arched windows with brick dripmolds and stone keystones. Corresponding round-arched openings on west side have stained glass. Double-hung sash windows on north and south wings have segmental arches on east side and flat arches on the other sides. 8. Roof: a. Shape, covering: mansard, slate roofing. b. Dormers: Round-arched dormers in the north and south sides of the central block. Bull's-eye windows in the towers and on the north and south wings. Segmentally arched dormers with paired windows on south side. No dormers on west side. C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: a.

Basement: North and south wings have storage, maintenance and baggage rooms, while center portion is unexcavated. b. First floor: The two-story vaulted waiting room is along the west side, with rest rooms and offices on the east. The north and south wings have various offices. c. Second floor: the center portion includes the upper story of the waiting room and a series of offices along the east side. The south wing has a number of offices, including the Engineer Dept. drafting rooms and credit union, while the north wing contains the Communications Dept. and other small offices. d. Attic: the center portion and north wing are unfinished, while the south wing has been finished for a kitchen, rest room, storage and a large meeting room. 2.

Stairways: partially enclosed public stairs, steel balusters with wood handrail, in both wings, in addition to minor service stairs. 3. Flooring: main floor, vestibules and waiting room: 1" x 1" tesserae; corridors: 2' x 21 precast concrete blocks; baggage room: exposed concrete. Second floor has rubber tile and topset base. r*; UNION PASSENGER STATION {Union Pacific Depot) HABS No. UT-88 (Page 7) 4. Wall and ceiling finish: plaster walls, 6" x 6" glazed tile wainscot in vestibules and waiting room. North and south archways of waiting room contain murals "Driving the Golden Spike" and "This is the Place." The waiting room is ornamented with paneling on the ceiling and walls as well as a modillioned cornice. 5. Doorways and doors: glass doors with transom windows for borrowed light. 6.

Trim: flat wood casing. 7. Hardware: conventional mortise hardware. 8. Lighting: a combination of wall and ceiling fixtures, both fluorescent and incandescent. 9. Heating: a boiler in combination with a two-pipe system and radiators. D. Site: Building faces east with tracks on the west. Prepared by: Burtch W. Beall, Jr. Project Supervisor Graduate School of Architecture University of Utah November* III. PROJECT INFORMATION The State of Utah survey, conducted by the Historic American Buildings Survey, was cosponsored by the National Park Service and the Utah Heritage Foundation and supported by the Utah American Revolution Bicentennial Commission and the Utah State Institute of Fine Arts jointly with the National Endowment for the Arts.

All work was recorded under the direction of John Poppeliers, Chief of HABS, during the summer of at the Historic American Buildings Survey Field Office at the Graduate School of Architecture, University of Utah. The survey team consisted of Burtch W. Beall, architect (University of Utah), project supervisor; Dr. Peter L. Goss, project historian; student architects Ronnie B. Cullen (Washington State University), Clayton B. Fraser (University of Tennessee)^ William B. Klein {University of Utah), and Eric V. Ratnsing (University of Oregon). Photographs were taken by Louise T. Taft in The written data were edited by Alison K. Hoagland, HABS Historian, in