The Boise Depot was built in 1924-25 by the Oregon Short Line Railroad, later absorbed by the Union Pacific Railroad. It was placed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It served its first transcontinental steam train (#26) on April 16, 1925 with Union Pacific President Carl R. Gray in attendance. In 1927, the clock tower chimes were donated by friends of Edward Harriman. This chime used to ring every quarter hour. The beautiful Howard Platt Gardens were dedicated on the north side of the depot on August 21, 1927.
In 1948, there were six passenger trains a day into Boise, three in each direction: the City of Portland, the Portland Rose and the Idahoan. The last Portland Rose left the depot May 1, 1971 leaving Boise without passenger trains. But Amtrak began service to the station again on June 5, 1977, which lasted until the final Amtrak train left the station on May 10, 1997. In 1996 the city of Boise took possession of the depot, which is now a museum and open to the public for a donation. Thanks to IgoUgo guide Dianne for taking me to this historic depot.