{"id":2151,"featured":0,"modified":"2026-10-10 23:32:55","latitude":45.7837430000000011887095752172172069549560546875,"longitude":-108.4993137000000160696799866855144500732421875,"title":"Northern Pacific Depot &quot;Union Station&quot;","subtitle":"Billings Townsite Historic District","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/9775d70e482077894c15d1ba898517e9.jpg","address":"2310 Montana Avenue, Billings, Montana","all_locations":[],"zoom":17,"creator":["Montana National Register Sign Program"],"description":"Billings’ first depot was built in 1883, a year after the arrival of the Northern Pacific. Because the first depot failed to meet railroad specifications, the nearby Headquarters Hotel served instead as the passenger station. The hotel burned a few years later and a second depot replaced it. In 1909, the Northern Pacific began to upgrade its facilities and built this splendid $65,000 passenger station to be used by three railroad companies. Designed by the Northern Pacific’s chief engineer, only the Livingston Depot equaled this stylish station. The up-to-date complex featured a spacious waiting area for 200 passengers, gentleman’s smoking room, ladies’ waiting room, baggage area, and service offices. The “lunch house” had its own separate building where a chef “second to none in the employ of the company” had charge of the kitchen. By 1914, tracks extended in ten directions and twenty-six passenger trains arrived and departed the depot daily. Striking red roofs, gabled dormers, and stepped parapets long provided travelers with a grand first impression of this busy railroad hub.","sponsor":null,"accessinfo":"Private","lede":"","website":"","related_resources":["<a href=\"https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/e383429f-c0b8-4012-8556-950137726936\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read about the Billings Townsite Historic District</a>"],"factoids":[],"files":{"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/9775d70e482077894c15d1ba898517e9.jpg":{"id":6851,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Northern Pacific Depot, Billings","description":"Front to side view of depot, facing east on Montana Avenue.  | Montana Historical Society | September 2026 | Arizona Duff","alt":"alt=&quot;&quot;","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/9775d70e482077894c15d1ba898517e9.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/869fc1bf43f0c0e8ef099224430d990d.jpg":{"id":6848,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Northern Pacific Depot, Billings","description":"Front to side view of depot, facing south on Montana Avenue.  | Montana Historical Society | September 2026 | Arizona Duff","alt":"alt=&quot;&quot;","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/869fc1bf43f0c0e8ef099224430d990d.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/cf1333b28f63acb7f3cd0da33bcffc11.jpg":{"id":6849,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Northern Pacific Depot, Billings","description":"Front to side view of facade, facing south on Montana Avenue.  | Montana Historical Society | September 2026 | Arizona Duff","alt":"alt=&quot;&quot;","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/cf1333b28f63acb7f3cd0da33bcffc11.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/7c2f1714cbecd047f6c5796915f5aec9.jpg":{"id":6850,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Northern Pacific Depot, Billings","description":"View of depot facade, facing southeast on Montana Avenue.  | Montana Historical Society | September 2026 | Arizona Duff","alt":"alt=&quot;&quot;","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/7c2f1714cbecd047f6c5796915f5aec9.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/12f57d294ddf8d4abb7f5230a0a47a29.jpg":{"id":6847,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Northern Pacific Depot, Billings","description":"Detail view of depot side.  | Montana Historical Society | September 2026 | Arizona Duff","alt":"alt=&quot;&quot;","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/12f57d294ddf8d4abb7f5230a0a47a29.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/83ae56f5273e4e520fd44da801eba5b6.jpg":{"id":6852,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Northern Pacific Depot, Billings","description":"View of lunch house building, part of the Northern Pacific Depot complex.  | Montana Historical Society | September 2026 | Arizona Duff","alt":"alt=&quot;&quot;","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/83ae56f5273e4e520fd44da801eba5b6.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/53bd63ab79610536740d31545c9df1ac.jpg":{"id":436,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Northern Pacific Depot, Billings","description":"1.Name<br />\r\nCommon: N.P.Depot<br />\r\nAnd/OR HIstoric: same<br />\r\n2. Location<br />\r\nStreet and Number: 2320 Montana Ave.<br />\r\nCity or Town: Billings<br />\r\nState: Montana<br />\r\nCounty: Yellowstone<br />\r\n3. Photo Reference<br />\r\nPhoto Credit: Sam Thomas<br />\r\nDate of Photo: August, 1978<br />\r\nNegative Filed at: Historic District Office<br />\r\n                             9 n. 25th, Billings, Mt. 59101<br />\r\n4. Identification<br />\r\nDescribe View, Direction, etc.<br />\r\nN.P. Depot from North<br />\r\n[verso] Black and white photograph.  | Official records of the Montana State Historic Preservation Office, Helena, Montana | August, 1978 | Sam Thomas","alt":"alt=&quot;&quot;","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/53bd63ab79610536740d31545c9df1ac.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/45258d1e27077127aa6c5c357ec2702a.jpg":{"id":1296,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Northern Pacific Depot, Billings","description":"Colorized postcard of the Northern Pacific Depot in Billings, Montana. Persona note on back. Postmarked April 20, 1915. | <a href=\"https://www.mtmemory.org/nodes/view/78477\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Montana History Portal</a> | 1915 | Unknown","alt":"alt=&quot;&quot;","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/45258d1e27077127aa6c5c357ec2702a.jpg"}}}