COOPER COUNTY TRAIN DEPOTS
The first MKT Depot was built in Boonville around 187? just before the railroad reached Sedalia on its way to Boonville. The railroad continued on to Boonville, crossing the Missouri river on its way to Chicago.
The original Depot was on the west side of the tracks and was used mainly for freight. After the second depot was built, the first Depot was used for storage until 1950 when it was removed.
Two pictures of the first Depot. Notice that the terrain was much different than it is today. (WL Collection)
Picture of people waiting at the station.
Pictures of Pleasant Green and Pilot Grove Depots. (WL Collection)
The second MKT depot, built in 1911 on the West side of the tracks, was a Mission style building which today is the location of the Boonville Area Chamber of Commerce, and it is also the start of the KATY walking and bike trail. The Katy Rail Road built 5 Spanish Mission Style Depots, and the Boonville Depot is the only one surviving.
(Picture of current depot with caboose and signal light donated to the City by Wayne Lammers. (Fall picture of depot is on the first page of the website.) All photos from the Wayne Lammers collection
First Boonville Train Depot
Notice steep incline
Close Up of First Boonville Train Depot
First Depot
Add pictures from earlier train section
The text should be identical.
The second MKT depot, built in 1911 on the West side of the tracks, was a Mission style building which today is the location of the Boonville Area Chamber of Commerce, and it is also the start of the KATY walking and bike trail. The Katy Rail Road built 5 Spanish Mission Style Depots, and the Boonville Depot is the only one surviving.
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First Boonville Depot
Second and Current Boonville Depot
Lamine Train Depot
Pleasant Green Depot
IN OUR OWN BACKYARD
The beautiful, historic Katy Depot as it looks today.
PICTURE of Boonville Depot
People travel far and wide to visit beautiful places with historic backgrounds. Boonville residents have only to step outside.
One such location is at 320 First Street, the home of the Missouri, Kansas, Texas (MKT) Railroad Depot. Although the MKT arrived in Boonville on May 31, 1873, the Spanish mission style depot, which was for the convenience of passengers, wasn't constructed until about 1910. There were originally five identical such depots built—three in Oklahoma, one in Kansas, and one in Missouri. The one in Boonville is the only one that survives.
Once a thriving part of Boonville, the depot used to see as many as 25-30 trains come and go on a daily basis. Many of them brought visitors to stay or see the sights. It was also a popular way for traveling salesmen, or "drummers," to travel around the country with trunks of samples. But the need for passenger trains decreased as automobiles came into everyday use. The last passenger train stopped in Boonville on May 1, 1958, and reduced the depot to just a freight stop, until finally, on October 4, 1986, the last freight train passed through Boonville.
Today, the depot, which is owned by the Department of Natural Resources, still stands and is affectionately referred to as the Katy Depot. It is the home of the local Chamber of Commerce, Tourist Information Center, and District offices of the Division of State Parks.
While the tracks of the MKT are gone, the trail lives on. An old, restored rail car is also on display.
Today, the 237.7 miles between Machens and Clinton, Mo, make up the Katy Trail State Park on which thousands of bicycle enthusiasts pass through Boonville each year.
Adapted from: Historically Yours by Elizabeth Davis