Train Depot

At the Train Depot, it was common to see people standing in line to buy tickets. Some shop owners rode the train to Chicago to attend trade shows and replenish supplies.  Farmers accompanied their livestock to the stockyards. Students traveled by train to Iowa City to go to college or to other towns for sporting events. Trains were used to visit relatives who lived far away. The significant Depot was the first building in this area. The town of Kalona formed around it, businesses sprung to life and neighborhoods created. To celebrate the Train Depot’s importance, it is placed in the Center of the Kalona Historical Village. Its placement represents the creation of the town of Kalona and the creation of the Kalona Historical Society.