History
Wysor Street Depot History
by Michael Giese
The historic Wysor Street Depot opened in 1901 along the Cincinnati, Richmond, and Muncie railroad line for passenger and freight traffic. Architect William A. Kaufman of Richmond, Indiana designed the Depot as well as other depots on the CR&M line. These are the only known station design projects with which Kaufman was involved. Locke and Hill, also of Richmond, built the Depot. This firm's $15,000 effort generated a reproduction of the Richmond station. Built in the late Victorian Queen Anne style, the Depot was regarded as being "one of the most modern and substantial structure of its kind ever created by a railroad company in Indiana" and was an impressive display of design both inside and out. The exterior facade was light brown pressed brick with a stone base. The roof was constructed of red clay Spanish style tiling with several dormers on all sides of the roof, which incidentally were removed after the public no longer used the station.
The interior of the building was even more exquisite with large doors made of dark oak adorned with gold finishing. The hardwood motif continued on the enormous solid oak benches which were reported to be "as comfortable as church pews" and to the floors of the waiting rooms which were made of maple. The walls and ceiling were decorated in a cream tile wainscoting and a gree In 1910, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company acquired the Chicago-Cincinnati rail route and subsequently the Depot. Although the rail line generated relatively little passenger traffic a Pullman sleeping car was offered for passengers who were taking the night train from Muncie, Indiana to Chicago, Illinois. The car would be left at the station, unattached to any other cars, and passengers would board in the late afternoon or evening. When the night train made its stop in Muncie, the car would be attached. Passengers would wake up the next morning in Chicago. This service stopped in 1933 when Hammond, Indiana became the northernmost stop on the line. The CR&M line came relatively late in the era of railroad expansion, and credit may be given to the rising industrialization Muncie was experiencing due to the Central Indiana "gas boom." The advent and the popularity of the automobile in the years following the construction of the Depot contributed to the Depot's demise as a rail station. Even so, automobiles did not pose a serious threat to the railroad until the 1920's. The Cincinnati-Chicago route was primarily a freight-dominated line, coal from Appalachia being one of the chief cargos, and subsequently passenger trains were phased out over time. In 1949, the Chesapeake and Ohio closed passenger service on the rail line, although freight service continued. One year after passenger service stopped, Muncie Gear Works, Inc. moved into the Depot and used the building to house company offices. In 1973, Muncie Gear Works moved out, and the Depot became the railroad property of C&O successor Chessie Systems. The station once again serviced passengers. In 1974, Amtrak rerouted the James Whitcomb Riley/George Washington trail (later renamed the Cardinal in 1977) through Muncie. Although Amtrak passengers did not use the depot itself, the platform was still used. The Cardinal line was eventually abandoned in 1985 and the Depot fell further into a dilapidated state. Abandonment and general lack of maintenance and upkeep have turned once-bustling depots from treasured pieces of Americana to eyesores. Fortunately communities around the country have recognized this problem and have taken steps to refurbish their depots. Civic centers, railroad museums, government offices, and shopping centers are examples of how other refurbished depots have been put to public use. One of the most notable restored stations is St. Louis' Union Station. There have even been restoration projects on the CR&M line. The station at Peru, the main hub of the line through Indiana, has been restored to be used as a civic center where community members can hold meetings and host performing arts. These treasured landmarks are being saved to be enjoyed by all. See more Greenways milestones. 
After being closed to passenger traffic for 44 years, Cardinal Greenway, Inc. acquired the Depot from CSX Transportation (a successor of Chessie Systems) in 1993, along with 60 miles of abdicated railroad as part of a Rails to Trails program. Cardinal Greenways plans to renovate the structure to house its offices and host a visitor's center for the trail. Funding for the restoration project has come from public and private sources. The vast majority of the funds have come from federal transportation grants. The Depot was placed on the National Registry of Historic Sites in 1997. Including Wysor Street Depot, only three of the CR&M depots remain.To learn more about the Greenways, consult these books:
