Designated as an historic landmark in 1969, the Depot Art Gallery opened its first show in May 1978. The Santa Fe Railroad built its depot in Littleton, Colorado in 1888, after about one year of service. Originally, the structure stood just north of the Denver & Rio Grande Depot. The vernacular, wooden frame building in the “railroad style” was similar to other depot designs popular in the late 19th century. The exterior walls are board and batten siding and a bay ticket window faces the train tracks. Most of the windows are original and are double-hung with divided lights (muntins). The gabled roof depot overhanging eaves are supported by brackets, which provided a sheltered area for waiting passengers. While the design of the building emphasizes function over design, it is none-the-less an elegant example of depot design.
The station was retired in 1965 and relocated to its current location at 2069 Powers Ave., Littleton, Colorado. In 1979, a renovated 1890’s caboose was added, which is now used as one of our galleries.
