| Ritzville Railroad Depot History Museum is located alongside the Burlington Northern tracks, the Depot is a clear reminder of the importance of the railroad in the economy and social life of old Ritzville. For generations in the life of Ritzville--as of the nation--rail travel was the primary mode of transport. For over sixty years of Ritzville's history, both passenger travel and shipments of freight to markets near and far went chiefly by train. The railroad was instrumental to the settlement of Ritzville by carrying its crops to national and international markets, and by bringing new settlers to the area. At one time, fully eight to ten passenger trains would stop in Ritzville every day. Area residents could ride the train to Spokane early in the morning and return home that same evening. The Depot was built by the Northern Pacific Railroad Company in 1910. It is a brick structure, built in the classic mission style. Its exterior exhibits overhanging eaves, a gable roof, and bell cast eaves, and stepped parapets with stone coping. The interior is remarkably well preserved, and with terrazzo floors and tile wainscoting. The depot was built with separate Gentlemen's and Ladies' waiting rooms, placed on either side of a corridor containing the ticket office. For commercial interests, there was a freight & baggage room, with a separate heated holding area for fragile goods. The indoor restrooms at the depot were among the first in town, and were especially popular with children and their parents. The ladies' room still has the original tank on the water closet. Burlington Northern deeded the depot to the city of Ritzville in 1988. The building was placed on United States National Register of Historic Places in 1989, and opened as the depot museum in 1990. What was the Gentlemen's waiting room is now the lobby of the museum. It was used by salesmen and other male travelers, and contains one of the room's original benches. The ticketing office now displays railroad memorabilia, plus a working telegraph machine. The Ladies' waiting room today displays promotional items from many past Ritzville businesses, the town's original telephone switchboard, and a vivid photomural exhibit on Mt. St. Helens' volcanic eruption and the massive disruption of life it caused in Ritzville and throughout eastern Washington. In what was the holding room is today a collection of items from Ritzville's schools, with a map showing all the pioneer schools that were once located in the county. The freight and baggage room has hardly changed from when it was built: it retains its original plank flooring, and visitors can even weigh themselves using the old floor scales. |
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