Stop 1 East Clock The Head House was completed in 1920 and utilizes Tennessee Marble for the floor, walls and columns which give this room a luxurious feel and was considered a modern design at the time of construction. The two clocks you see in the Head House are original models that are over 100 years old! Passengers have used the two clocks to keep on schedule and catch their trains. At the time of construction, the only trains that serviced Union Depot were steam locomotives. Stop 2 Twin Waves | Head House Internationally renowned Pennsylvania native Ray King uses glass, metals, laminating films and other materials to create shifting, dynamic light sculptures that play on concepts of ritual, geometry, technology and color. The two “floating waves in space,” at Union Depot have different personalities by day and by night. At night, the sculptures are illuminated by a computer-controlled system creating an aerial dance of light, color and shadow. By day, natural light and pedestrian movement transform the sculpture’s colors and shape, creating an undulating appearance as if the “front of the station is breathing.” Stop 3 Lite-Brite Mural This larger than life mural lights up Union Depot with over 600,000 Lite-Brite bulbs—making it the largest Lite-Brite in the world, according to Guinness World Records. It took hundreds of volunteers around a month to assemble the Lite-Brite, which stretches 24 feet wide and 9 feet tall. “Forever Saint Paul” is lit up within a colorful and bold pattern designed by Ta-coumba T. Aiken, a local Saint Paul artist. This unique art piece started with one big idea and came together thanks to help from the community. The Lite-Brite Mural now hangs in the concourse. Stop 4 Lot B Selfie Walls This eye-catching mural spans a whopping 80-feet and greets visitors of Union Depot by the entrance in parking lot B near Sibley Street. This bright pop of color completely transformed the parking garage and now provides guests four fun photo backdrops. The mural wall was designed in partnership with marketing and design agency Spot Communications. This unique piece includes a nod to Saint Paul native, F. Scott Fitzgerald, as well as an homage to travel and Minnesota pride. Stop 5 Little Free Library Grab a book, leave a book! This Little Free Library is open to all travelers and visitors to enjoy a new story while waiting or to take along on their next adventure. Award winning design and refurbishment of three train cars make for an eye catching and exciting display. Books rotate daily with donations from the public and local libraries. What will your next literary journey be? Stop 6 North Plaza Take a look around at the grandeur of the North Plaza. Designed and constructed by Charles Sumner Frost, Union Depot was one of 200 railroad passenger stations designed for the Great Northern, Milwaukee Road and Rock Island. The stately entrance to Union Depot and the lavish interior was designed in the Renaissance Revival, Beaux-Arts and Spanish Mission. The plaza was once a main passenger entrance with Ford Model T automobiles humming along waiting for their riders. Directly below your feet is the Carriage Way where horse and buggies would pick up travelers for a quick and convenient “taxi” service to other parts of St. Paul. 100 years later the plaza is now home to the Metro Transit Green Line. The light rail will zip you across town in a matter of minutes to destinations across the Twin Cities including; Mall of America, the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Allianz Field and Target Field. Stop 7 Interactive Multimedia Art Platform (IMAP) This commission is organized by Twin Cities-based Northern Lights.mn, and is comprised of a suspended, three dimensional, light animation, 8 1/2 x11 by Jim Campbell (San Francisco), and a participatory story project with custom furniture and Amateur Intelligence Radio (AIR), by Daily tous les jours (Montreal). This $500,000 commission was completed in early 2014. Sit back and be mesmerized as swimmers cross the sculpture and light radiates off the ceiling. Stop 8 Amtrak Ticket Counter Union Depot was built for trains. James J. Hill was the founder of the Saint Paul Union Depot Company and founded the Empire Builder route from Chicago to Seattle with many stops along the way including Union Depot. After the last passenger train left in 1971, Union Depot became a mail processing center with USPS, changed hands then was restored to its former glory in 2012 and reopened to the public. In 2014, 43 years after the last train, Union Depot was once again connected to the Empire Builder with Amtrak adding a stop! You can now take Amtrak to Seattle with stops in Glacier National Park and stunning views of mountains or the other direction to Chicago passing through dense forest and skirting Lake Michigan. Stop 9 Land to Legacy Museum and Historic Stairs in Gate B Take a step back in time and view artifacts from Union Depot through the years. Enjoy remarkable photographs showcasing the history of Union Depot, steam locomotives, extensive train track networks and the height of travel by train. At one time, Union Depot saw 20,000 passengers a day pass through these corridors. Dozens of train companies brought passengers all over the US. Soldiers deployed from Minnesota for WWII through Union Depot and this station has also been visited by multiple United States Presidents. Explore the photo exhibit and continue walking down Gate B to see the historic stair which leads from the Waiting Room to the bus platform. The remaining tiles are original from when Union Depot was built almost 100 years ago. The rare puzzle shape give these tiles a unique look and feel. #FindItAtUnionDepot
