By Thomas Dyrek
For over a century, the train station was the centerpiece of almost every town in America that was served by rail. Mail and freight were loaded and unloaded from passing trains, newspapers were often sold inside, and most commonly, people greeted family and friends on the depot’s platform or bought tickets to take a ride somewhere. It’s not common, however, when stations take a ride of their own. Such was the case with a century-old brick depot at New Lenox, Illinois.
The Chicago and Rock Island Railroad reached New Lenox in 1852 and a small wood frame depot was constructed at the center of town. Although a useful building, by the 1890’s the Rock Island was in the process of replacing their original stations with modernized structures. A new depot was constructed in New Lenox just east of the Cedar Road crossing in 1900. Completed with beautiful brickwork, a clay tile roof, and an arched window in the center, the new station was likely the most charming building in town, and would serve the community for 118 years, long after the Rock Island’s shutdown in March of 1980.
Throughout its history, many modifications were made to the New Lenox depot. Sometime around the end of steam on The Rock in the 1950’s, the roof was rebuilt and the interior was heavily remodeled. The baggage room, office, and waiting room became one large room and a smaller room was added to house a heater and air conditioner. The ceiling, floor, and walls were redone as well. However, despite the remodeled roof, the exterior for the most part kept its original 1900 appearance into the Metra era.
On March 31, 1980, the bankrupt Rock Island ceased operations. All freight trains were handed over to the Iowa Interstate Railroad. Commuter trains were operated by the Regional Transportation Authority. A few years later, RTA became present-day Metra. The New Lenox depot was brought up to Metra standards and received a new platform and signs.
Long after the Rock Island’s steam trains charged through New Lenox, the sight of a steam locomotive in town happened again. In 1973, Southern Railway 4501 operated an excursion trip between Chicago and Bureau, IL, appropriately titled the Green and Gold Rocket, mimicking the Rock Island’s Rocketpassenger trains. More notably on June 17 and 18, 2017, the New Lenox depot became a gathering spot for onlookers as Nickel Plate Road 765 ran a series of trips between Joliet and Chicago with the Joliet Rocket.
Less than a year after the Joliet Rocket’s smoke disappeared over the horizon, the City of New Lenox announced plans for a redevelopment project around the depot. A new shopping center was to be built on the site of the depot’s parking lot and surrounding areas. While the station was originally planned to be unaffected by the new construction, engineers soon realized that it was in the way of a proposed building. Metra and the City agreed that the depot had to be removed from the site to allow the construction to continue, and Metra was to build a new station nearby. Word quickly spread of the endangerment of the depot.
The New Lenox Area Historical Society desperately searched for a way to save the station from demolition. A petition was started and subsequently gained over 4,000 signatures. Right when all hope for the station’s preservation was almost lost, Walt Konow, a farmer from nearby Homer Glen, stepped up with the funds and planning to purchase the depot and move it to his property, however, Metra agreed to donate the building under the condition that it would be removed from the site.
Konow hired a professional structure relocation company from Indiana to handle the depot’s move. The move date was set to July 10, 2018. After the plans were finalized, the depot was prepared for the move and loaded onto a truck which moved it a few feet off of its original foundation so work on the new building could begin. Unfortunately, the move date had to be rescheduled to August 15 for various reasons but that allowed time for railfans to photograph the final trains to pass the depot before the move.
The morning of August 15 was dreary but filled with excitement. Thunderstorms threatened the area but moving crews were determined to get the depot to its new home. Crowds gathered along Cedar Road awaiting the 8:30 AM departure from the Metra station parking lot. Before long, the building had been slowly and carefully eased out of the parking lot and began the six-mile trip to the new site on Konow’s farm. Power lines and other cables had to be temporarily cut or moved out of the way to allow the depot to pass. Restricted to a top speed of five miles an hour, the depot slowly made its way down the street.
The New Lenox station made the final turn onto the Konow property in the late afternoon hours. In the coming days, the depot would be set down on its new foundation and restoration work would begin. A new roof will soon be installed and the depot will be returned to its original 1900 appearance. Plans for the building include a small museum and a place to buy tickets for rides around the farm when it’s opened for public events.
With all the recent depot destruction in the country, it’s good to see one saved. As a railroad station historian, I would like to give my personal thanks to the New Lenox Area Historical Society, the Konow Family, Wolfe House and Building Movers, the 4,000+ petition signers, and Metra for their efforts to preserve an important piece of Rock Island and Illinois railroad history. Thanks to them, the New Lenox depot will hopefully stand for another 118 years, delighting visitors for generations to come.
