Boise Train Depot

The Boise Train Depot is a very interesting part of history and architecture in Boise, and people tend not to acknowledge or realize it. The Mission Revival Style was an architectural movement that began in the late 19th Century and drew inspiration from the early Spanish missions in California. They have massive walls with broad, unadorned surfaces and limited fenestration, wide, projecting eaves, and low-pitched clay tile roofs. Other features included long, arcaded corridors, pointed arches, and curved gables. Exterior walls were coated with plaster (stucco) to shield the adobe bricks beneath. The Boise Depot is also very rich in history and it was first designed in 1924 by the four New York architects Carrere, Hastings, Shreve, and Lando. On August 1st, 1924 construction was started to build the new Depot and on April 16th 1925 the first transcontinental train steamed into the new station. On May 10th, 1997 the last Amtrak rolled out of Boise leaving Idaho with no passenger train service. It is open every Monday from two to six in the afternoon for viewing by the public. Although the Depot isn’t used for transportation, it is still one of the most beautiful buildings in Idaho.