The Keokuk Union Depot, which opened in 1891 after five area train depots consolidated into one facility, is again relying on community hands to keep restoration moving forward.
Volunteer Mike Bliven, the depot’s treasurer, said the building has seen major progress over the years. One milestone involved rebuilding and reinstalling a roof crest that was lost after a 1947 fire damaged the peak of the roof structure. The crest remained off the building until 2016, when multiple foundations helped fund restoration work. Crews built the crest in a back lot and lifted it into place on the roof. Bliven said the original crest included a cutout for a clock, but a clock was never installed.
In 2020, the Jeffris Family Foundation helped restore the depot’s waiting room and trackside canopy. The interior was fitted with original marble and tile flooring and period lighting, and the restrooms were improved. The completed masonry work addressed structural issues and returned the depot to its original color scheme, showing the role masonry repair can play in stabilizing historic structures while preserving their appearance.
The Keokuk City Council purchased the building from the railroad company in 2012 for $1. Since then, volunteers have helped restore the facility, which is now used as an event space and has been added to a historical building registry, Bliven said.
Bliven said the group is down to three volunteers and needs more help ahead of summer renovations. Volunteers typically meet once a week on Wednesday mornings around 9.
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