CENTRAL STATION

Located on the south side of Osborn Drive across street from Gilman Hall.

Central Station was built by the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern Railroad in 1908, soon after the route of the railroad had been changed to run on Osborn Drive instead of across central campus. It was provided with electricity for lighting and steam for heating by the college. ¹

The building was described as “a beautiful and commodious station of vitrified brick with Bedford stone trimmings.” ²

Apparently the agreement calling for heat from the college plant was not carried out because the next year the railroad stated: “We will put in a hardcoal stove and hard coal, and keep fire and light in the station building so long as we can or when we are not interfered with by the students or others destroying our property.”³

In November 1909 the Board of Education ordered that smoking in the building would not be permitted.

Water to the station was provided in 1910.⁴

In 1921 an agreement with the railroad transferred control of the building to the college, rent free, and it was remodeled to make offices and classrooms for the Federal Board of Vocational Education.⁵

At an undetermined date the college purchased the building from the railroad for $500. It was razed in 1933.⁶