Union Station

Louisville's Union Station was formally dedicated on September 7, 1891 by the arrival of the first train. The total cost of the structure was $310,056, and at the time it was the largest station in the South. All contractors, with the exception of Seth Thomas (for the clocks) and Kendell Company (for the skylights) were from Louisville.

Nearly every immigrant to Louisville, countless servicemen and women, General Pershing, and three United States Presidents, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower arrived in Louisville through the doors of Union Station. On October 31, 1976, the last train left Louisville for Nashville.

Restoration of the building began in April of 1979 and was completed a year later. The cost was about $2 million. After formal opening ceremonies in mid-April, 1980, the Transit Authority of River City became the new occupant of Union Station.

Architecture
Designed by F. W. Mobray, chief architect for the railroad, the building is in Richardsonian Romanesque style with brick-faced limestone ashlar quarried in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The trim is Bedford stone, and the roof, trussed with a combination of heavy wood and iron, is covered with slate.

The interior, finished with quartered oak and southern pine, features a large vaulted ceiling lighted by an enormous stained glass skylight. Several art glass panels grace both the north and south facade. The original ceramic tile floor and marble wainscot have been restored, along with a number of the Station's concourse benches.

Large rose stained-glass windows admit a light reminiscent of the era in which the building was designed.

TARC & Union Station
The landmark station houses TARC's Administrative Offices. The first floor of Union Station now holds offices for TARC's personnel and accounting departments, a credit union, and paratransit offices. Additional administrative offices and a Board Room occupy the mezzanine and second levels, while the third floors contain a training facility and telephone information center.

The small baggage building directly to the west has also been renovated, providing space for TARC's print shop and grounds maintenance crew.

Union Station's first floor is open to the public from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

The original mule drawn trolley in Union Station was built in 1865 and used by Louisville Railway Company until 1901. It is one of only two original mule drawn trolleys left in the United States.