Awards of Excellence:

Union Pacific Depot – Sylvan Grove

The Union Pacific Depot in Sylvan Grove was built in 1887 as a combination depot serving both passenger and freight needs on the Salina, Lincoln & Western Railway. Eventually becoming part of the Union Pacific Railroad, the line was abandoned in 1993 after a washout in the flooding of that year, and the rails on both sides of the depot were removed. Several years ago, the average person driving through Sylvan Grove would have looked at the Depot and considered it a lost cause.  Fortunately, members of the Sylvan Historical Society are not average people and set about the hard work of rehabilitation. The historical society held an open house in September to celebrate the building’s 130th birthday, now serving as museum space showcasing the historical society’s collection of railroad related artifacts and stories.