The Vinton Train Depot is celebrating a big birthday this weekend! The historic Iowa landmark is turning 125-years-old this year, and the town of Vinton will celebrate its “quasquicentennial” on Saturday!
The History of the Vinton Train Depot
According to the Benton County Historical Society, construction began on the Vinton Train Depot at 612 2nd Avenue back on August 1st of 1899. At the time, the structure cost around $40,000 to build. That’s equal to around $1,522,852 in 2025!
Since its opening in 1900, Wikipedia says that the depot has had several names, including the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Passenger Station-Vinton, Rock Island Depot, and the Vinton Depot. It was built as a replacement for the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway. The limestone that was used in the construction was from Postville, Iowa, and the bricks were fired over in Shellsburg. A document from the National Register of Historic Places says that “the floor of the Depot is of marble tile; the woodwork is of white oak with art and plate glass windows and doors. All are original and still in place.”
Another historic aspect of the train depot is the hobo signs that remain under the porch. An article from Vinton Today reads:…