The Concourse Thanks for resuming your tour of Union Depot. This is the second of five segments on a self-guided tour that takes you through one of America’s great rail stations from the early 20th century, now fully restored and serving the public in the 21st century as a transportation hub and events center. Feel free to pause at any time for a closer look at anything that catches your eye. Ready to begin? This segment of the tour covers the Concourse, and to get oriented and make sure you’re in the Concourse, take a quick glance around. In one direction — towards downtown St. Paul — is the Head House, the main entry and original ticketing area at Union Depot, accessible from Fourth Street. In the other direction — towards the Mississippi River — is the Waiting Room, the largest room at Union Depot; a full 300 feet long. The Concourse is so named because it connects the Head House to the Waiting Room. It’s a passageway, a bridge, over busy Kellogg Boulevard below. The Concourse slopes up from the Head House to the Waiting Room. The station master’s office was located here near the Head House. This individual had many responsibilities and managed everyone who worked at the station – ticket agents, gatemen, elevator operators, matrons, red cap porters, information clerks and telephone operators. The station master was also responsible for train movements on the property which meant managing switch operators and train crews as well. Of architectural note in the Concourse is the ceiling above. It’s a self-supporting vaulted style known as Guastavino, which was patented in the United States in 1885 by the Spanish architect and builder Rafael Guastavino. The herringbone pattern incorporates several layers of interlocking tiles with few recurring or overlapping joints, an excellent choice for withstanding the heavy vibrations of passing trains. On the second floor of the Concourse is an area that once housed a recreation center complete with a bowling alley. Today, indoor event areas are located in this area and are available for private or public functions. The Red Cap room is named for the famous station porters who welcomed travelers to Union Depot for nearly 80 years and seats up to 250 people. The Veterans Gallery is also upstairs and seats up to 125 people. It’s a flexible space for all kinds of gatherings, from receptions to classes. Complete details about all of the venues for events can be found online at uniondepot.org. Before moving into the Waiting Room, note the Guest Services area. At one time, WCCO Radio had a broadcasting booth there. A favorite restaurant for the local community and for passengers was located in this area as well. Across the Concourse was the baggage check room connected via a baggage elevator and tunnels to the train deck. The United States Postal Service occupied space on the second level of the Concourse and also on the lower levels of the Head House. There was a mail chute on the exterior of the building, outside the baggage check room. A Parcel Check Room, located in the corner of the Head House, was accessible from the Concourse and housed three mail elevators connecting their operations on multiple floors with tunnels to the train deck. Thanks for touring Union Depot. The next segment guides you through the Waiting Room, which is directly ahead.
