Big Four Railroad Depot

The Big Four Railroad Depot is a former railroad depot for the Big Four Railroad in Springfield, Ohio. It was demolished in 1969.

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Planning for a consolidated passenger railroad station for the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway (Big Four), Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad (DT&I), and the Erie Railroad in downtown Springfield began with the formation of a committee in 1906. ³ The goal was to replace the small Big Four depot on the south side of Washington Street opposite the Arcade. ⁸ The committee decided upon a new station at Washington and Spring streets because of its centralized location. ⁶ A depot on the site of the old station would have required the construction of a viaduct on Limestone Street and Fountain Avenue.

The Big Four put forth $500,000 to the endeavor. ³

Designed by Schlacks of Chicago, the ground was broken for the new consolidated passenger station on November 15, 1908, ⁵ with construction starting on November 22, 1909. ² The foundation was finished by February 1910, and a roof was completed by August 1. ⁷ A dedication ceremony was held on June 6, 1911, which included a banquet and speakers from officials of the Big Four, the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton (DT&I), and the O.E. Railway of Cincinnati. ^{3 6 7}

The building featured cut stone sourced from Illinois ³ and an interior decorated with Roosevelt ferns produced by the American Rose and Plant Company of Springfield. ⁶

By 1928, Springfield boasted 58 miles of mainline railroad track, 40 miles of industrial and yard track, and 26 through passenger trains daily, with the station accommodating 123,000 passengers yearly. ³ The depot was the site of countless stops by politicians, most notably Richard M. Nixon during the 1968 presidential campaign. ⁵

The consolidated depot was demolished by the Birt Construction Company to make way for the Spring Street Bridge in February 1969. ^{3 4} (Spring Street was once a major thoroughfare that was cut off with the construction of the passenger station in 1911.)

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Sources

1. “Demolition of Depot Begins.” Springfield Sun 4 Feb. 1969: n. pag. Print.
2. “Are Ready to Start Depot.” Springfield Daily News 20 Nov. 1909: n. pag. Print.
3. Caylor, James L. Big Four Railroad Depot. N.p.: n.p., 1990. N. pag. Print.
4. Prosser, A.J. “The Demolition of Springfield Union Station.” N.p.: n.p., Apr. 1969. N. pag. Print.
5. “Work on Depot to Begin Monday.” Springfield Daily News 12 Nov. 1909: 1. Print.
6. “New Big Four Station is Opened.” Springfield Daily News 7 June 1911: 1-2. Print.
7. “Important Dates in Transformation.” Springfield Daily News 7 June 1911: n. pag. Print.
8. “Remember This Old Big Four Depot?” Springfield Sun n.d.: n. pag. Print.