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The Burlington Depot


category : Railroad History
The Burlington Depot

Adams County, and Hastings in particular, are "children of
the railroads," having been founded and sustained by rail companies between
the 1870s and 1960s. Hastings owes is very existence to an intersection of two
railways, the Burlington and Missouri River and the St. Joseph and Denver City
lines. Although most of Hastings is built on former Union Pacific land, Adams
County has always been Burlington country.


Known as the Burlington and Missouri River (1871), the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy (1880), the Burlington Northern (1970) and the Burlington
- Santa Fe (1995), this railroad built its main line through the country, constructed
the most elaborate depot and had a division office here the longest. It was
the Burlington which brought the fabled Zephyr to Adams County, and on its road,
Nebraska's last commercial passenger trains, via Amtrak, continue to run. When
the Burlington Railway Depot was completed in 1902, Hastings was the third largest
railroad center in Nebraska. Designed by Omaha architect Thomas R. Kimball,
the station is an example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. The building,
which welcomed presidents Taft, Truman and Eisenhower, is on the National
Register of Historic Places.



Come visit us in Hastings, Nebraska

Attractions and Upcoming Events

Hastings Museum of Natural and Cultural History

Hastings Museum.... What a wonderful world!

From immense polar bears to tiny hummingbirds, the many forms of animal life from around the planet are on display in dioramas representing the natural habitat of each.

Hastings, NE Museums

Victory Building

The Victory Building, named to commemorate America's victory in World War I, is one of Nebraska's finest examples of early 20th Century industrial architecture. It was constructed between 1917 and 1920 by harness maker William

Hastings, NE National Register

Sandhill Crane Migration

Fossil records reveal the sandhill cranes have been visiting this region for more than nine million years. For five weeks each spring, visitors to the Platte River valley in south-central Nebraska can enjoy the symphony of sounds and dancing rituals of 90 percent of the world'

Hastings, NE Recreation


Highland Park Cemetery

Hastings' first cemetery contains sculpture commemorating Oregon Trail travelers of the 1800

Hastings, NE Cemeteries

Things to do Railroad History near Hastings, NE