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All the United States Oklahoma Santa Fe Depot

Santa Fe Depot

Though it's no longer a functioning train depot, this castle-like structure is an important piece of Oklahoma history.

Shawnee, Oklahoma

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Lisa
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Santa Fe Depot   kennethaw88 / CC BY-SA 4.0
Santa Fe Depot   kennethaw88 / CC BY-SA 4.0
Santa Fe Depot in Shawnee, Oklahoma   kennethaw88 / CC BY-SA 4.0
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About

Built between 1902 and 1905, the Santa Fe Depot in Shawnee, Oklahoma, was a train depot until 1973. Often compared to a lighthouse or castle, the building was designed by Charles Whittlesay, an architect for the Santa Fe Railroad.  His idea for the "Romanesque" style of the depot came from buildings he had seen in Scotland.

The depot used to house the Pottawatomi County History Museum.  The museum moved to its collection to a new building not far from the iconic structure and has temporarily closed the inside of the depot to visitors.  The real beauty of the building is the outside structure, though, and visitors are welcome to walk around it and take pictures to their hearts content.

Related Tags

Railroads Architectural Oddities Architecture Trains Museums

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The depot is closed on the inside, but the property belongs to the Pottawatomi County Historical Society and is open to the public. The Pottawatomi County History Museum is located just north of the depot.

Community Contributors

Added By

ObscureLibrarian

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy

  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

March 14, 2023

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  • https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/08/04/pottawatomie-county-works-restore-santa-fe-railway-depot-shawnee/8033151002/
  • https://www.shawneeok.org/government/departments/planning/santa_fe_depot_visioning_process.php
Santa Fe Depot
614 E Main St
Shawnee, Oklahoma, 74801
United States
35.32833, -96.916176
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