Boise Depot, Boise

The Boise Depot is a cherished architectural landmark and former train station that opened in 1925. Designed in the elegant Spanish Revival style by New York architects, the depot was built by the Union Pacific Railroad and welcomed its first passengers on the Portland Rose line connecting Chicago and Portland. Today, the depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and remains a testament to the city's early 20th-century growth and its connection to national rail travel.

The depot’s most striking interior feature is the Great Hall-a 3,542-square-foot atrium with soaring ceilings, Spanish-style wooden trusses adorned with antique locomotive motifs, and original wooden benches from the station’s early days. One of its historical highlights is the 1925 Barkalow Brothers Newsstand, still visible along the west wall in its original form.

Surrounding the depot is the Platt Gardens, offering peaceful walking paths, a koi pond, and a picturesque gazebo nestled into the hillside.