Union Station

From LoveToKnow Travel

Union Station is Washington DC’s most popular tourist attraction, more popular even than the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, or the Washington Monument. Over 20 million people visit the train station each year. Opened in 1907, the train terminal has had a colorful history. The building has been featured in a number of films and TV shows, including Mr Smith goes to Washington, Along Came a Spider, and The West Wing.

Union Station


The History

The Union Station project was conceived by the Pennsylvania, Baltimore, and Ohio Railroad in 1901 to accommodate the growing number of rail passengers heading for the nation’s capital. Before its construction, railroad tracks ran along the middle of the Washington Mall. Building Union Station allowed the Mall to be redesigned as we know it today.

The station played a vital role in Washington, reaching its peak traffic during World War II, when as many as 200,000 passengers passed through the station during a single day. After the war, however, as rail travel declined, so did the station until, in 1977, it was considered unsafe. Various organizations rejected plans to restore the station as being too expensive, until the US government, under Transportation Secretary, Elizabeth Dole, championed the restoration. A beautifully restored Union Station was reopened in 1988.


The Building

Union Station was designed by architect, Daniel Burnham, who also designed the Flatiron Building in New York City. The neo-classical building was one of the first in Washington to feature classical Greek columns and arcades, a style that was later echoed in the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials, among other Washington Buildings. The sweeping arch reflects the European practice of using large archways at the entrance of train stations. The building cost $125 million to complete – a staggering figure in 1908 and featured over 70 pounds of 22-karat gold leaf.

Inside Union Station

Union Station was, in many ways, a city in itself. When it was opened, it contained a bakery, a butcher, a bowling alley, an ice house, a police station, a nursery, and even a mortuary. A presidential suite was reserved for US presidents and visiting dignitaries.

Today, in addition to its function as a rail station, Union Station houses a shopping arcade with over 100 stores, an international food court, multiple restaurants, and a movie theater complex. A restaurant is now housed in the former presidential suite, although the space is periodically used by government, most recently for one of George W. Bush’s inaugural balls.

Visiting Union Station

Union Station is more than just a transportation center. It’s a living museum. Visitors can stroll along the two levels of shops, have lunch under the unique domed ceiling, or explore one of the many art exhibits featured on the concourse.

Union Station is accessible via Washington’s metro system, which arrives right at the terminal. It’s just seven blocks from the Capital and the Mall. There is also ample parking behind the station. There is no cost for exploring this beautiful and impressive example of American architecture.


 


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