Bartlett Depot Museum
Mission Statement

The Bartlett Depot Museum interprets and shares the legacy of the community's railroading heritage with the public through exhibitions, education and media to increase awareness and knowledge of the past, present and future significance of the railroad industry in Bartlett.

100 W. Railroad Ave.
Bartlett, Il. 60103
Admission: Free
Accessible
Pam Rohleder, Director

Hours starting 9/13/2010
Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
1st Saturday of month
9 a.m. to noon
630-837-0800

All Aboard: Operation Station Restoration

August 30, 2010- Workers hang a replica of the original "Bartlett." depot exterior sign.  Work is expected to be completed by September 3, just in time for the September 12 dedication festivities.

Have you seen the old depot lately? The transformation is amazing! New windows and doors, that replicate the originals, have been installed. The new wood siding is complete on all four sides. The support bracelets have been stripped of layers of old paint and are awaiting a fresh new coat. The interior of the depot has been gutted since the original finishes have all been removed during the past 137 years. Foundational work is complete and the depot finally has a firm footing on which to rest.

Some interesting facts and discoveries have been made. The first being the original location of the ticket window. It has been found intact between the walls! The north side box bay in the agent's office is also not original. It was added on sometime after the depot was built. After scraping, the original colors of the depot were discovered to be taupe gray with dark brown trim.

Upon completion of the restoration work, the Bartlett Depot Museum will open its doors on September 12, 2010, highlighting the area's transportation heritage with permanent and changing exhibits.

Restoration began with the removal of non-original interior surfaces. The original ticket window was discovered between the walls. Image-December 8, 2010.

The depot was built directly on the dirt in 1873 with no proper foundation. In order to pour a cement foundation the depot needed to be temporarily moved to accomplish this job. Images- January 6, 2010, preparing the depot for the move about a 100 feet to the west.

A bobcat and heavy duty chain was used to very slowly pull the depot from its footings inches at a time. The move took a few hours to complete. The day before the depot was raised up from the ground a few inches at a time using hydraulic jacks. Image-January 12, 2010

The successful move was completed by midday. In the foreground is the original footprint of the depot. Image-January 12, 2010

Floor plans for the station restoration