The Milwaukee Depot Is A Great Falls Treasure

Great Falls' Milwaukee Depot Holds More Than A Century Of Montana History

There's a good chance you've driven past the old Milwaukee Depot in Great Falls more times than you can count without really thinking about all the Montana history sitting inside that building.

At the time it was built, Great Falls was a much different city. The railroad was a huge part of everyday life, and the arrival of a major passenger depot was a pretty big deal for a growing Montana community.

Great Falls' Milwaukee Depot Was Built During Montana's Railroad Boom

The Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Passenger Depot was completed in 1915 after the Milwaukee Road expanded its transcontinental railroad through Montana. The railroad was the last of the major transcontinental lines to enter the state, arriving between 1907 and 1908.

The building that towers over the Missouri River is a two-story brick structure with a 135-foot tower, Mission Revival architecture, and the Milwaukee Road's colorful tile signs still on the tower. The depot was designed by architect J.A. Lindstrand and was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

The depot served as a passenger station until the 1950s, when the Milwaukee Road moved its Great Falls passenger operations elsewhere and eventually ended passenger service in the city. But in its heyday, the depot had waiting rooms, baggage areas, and railroad offices.

Even though the passengers disappeared, the building didn't.

Nick Northern TSM-GF//Canva

After The Railroad Left, Great Falls Gave The Depot A New Life

In the '70s, after sitting vacant for years, it got a completely different life as the Import Depot and Freight House, as reported by NBC Montana's "Montana Moment." There were restaurants, bars, and live music. They even repurposed old railroad cars to use as dining and entertainment spaces.

Today, the old depot has once again become a vibrant hub with dining options and lofts, while remaining one of Great Falls' most recognizable historic buildings.

We've put together a gallery to show just how old the Milwaukee Depot really is compared with some other things you might recognize.