Lawrence station (Kansas)

Lawrence station is a train station in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, served by Amtrak's Southwest Chief train. Built in 1956 to replace an older station, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2018 as Santa Fe Depot.

Lawrence, KS
Lawrence station in June 2019
General information
Location413 East 7th Street
Lawrence, Kansas
Coordinates38.9712°N 95.2305°W / 38.9712; -95.2305
Owned byBNSF Railway
Line(s)BNSF Railway Topeka Subdivision
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks1
Construction
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeAmtrak: LRC
History
RebuiltApril 19, 1955–February 7, 1956[1]
Passengers
FY 20225,331[2] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Topeka
toward Los Angeles
 Southwest Chief Kansas City
toward Chicago
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Topeka
toward Dallas or Houston
 Lone Star
Until 1979
 Kansas City
toward Chicago
Preceding station Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Following station
Lecompton
toward Los Angeles
 Main Line Eudora
toward Chicago
Vinland
toward Ottawa
 Ottawa–Lawrence Terminus
Santa Fe Depot
NRHP reference No.100001946
Added to NRHPJanuary 5, 2018

History
The Southwest Limited at Lawrence in 1980

The Lawrence station was built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (Santa Fe) to replace an 1883-built station which was damaged by the Great Flood of 1951. Demolition of the old building began on April 15, 1955; the new station building opened on February 7, 1956. Built in a Mid-Century Modern style, it was designed by Warren Corman and Warren Jones. The Santa Fe built stations of similar style at Arkansas City, Hutchinson, and Topeka.[3]

Amtrak took over intercity passenger rail service in the United States in May 1971. Of the four daily round trips that served Lawrence, the San Francisco Chief and ex-Grand Canyon were discontinued, while Amtrak continued the Texas Chief and Super Chief/El Capitan. Lawrence was also served by the Chief, which had been discontinued in 1968 but was revived for three months in 1972. The Super Chief/El Capitan became the Super Chief in 1973 and the Southwest Limited in 1974, and finally the Southwest Chief in 1984. The Texas Chief was renamed Lone Star in 1974 and discontinued in 1979, ending Chicago–Texas service via Lawrence.[4]

A $1.5 million project in 2011 added an accessible platform and new lighting. The neon signs on the canopy reading "Lawrence" were replaced, while the red "Santa Fe" sign over the entrance was replaced with a similar blue "Amtrak" sign.[5][6] BNSF Railway donated the station building to the City of Lawrence in 2017. A $1.8 million renovation in 2018 included a new roof, electric, and HVAC systems; accessibility improvements; and other work. A larger parking lot was added the next year. The station was added to the Register of Kansas Historic Places on November 18, 2017, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.[5]

References
  1. "New Station is Opened". The Iola Register. Iola, Kansas. February 6, 1956. p. 2. Retrieved January 1, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  2. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2022: State of Kansas" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  3. Domer, Dennis; Hernly, Stan (Fall 2017). "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Santa Fe Depot". National Park Service.
  4. Sanders, Craig (2006). Amtrak in the Heartland. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34705-3.
  5. "Lawrence, Kansas (LRC)". Great American Stations. Amtrak.
  6. "Amtrak marks completion of Kansas station improvements". Progressive Railroading. December 6, 2011. Archived from the original on May 9, 2012.

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