Burlington Train Station, Omaha

Burlington Station, also known as Omaha Burlington Station, is a historic railroad terminal reflecting Omaha's importance as a Midwestern transportation hub during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Completed in 1898 for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, the station opened on July 4, 1898, for the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition. It handled passenger and freight traffic for more than seven decades before passenger operations ended in 1974. Today, the restored building serves as the headquarters and studio of KETV Channel 7. Designed by Omaha architect Thomas Rogers Kimball of Walker & Kimball, the station originally combined Greek Revival and Italianate architecture inspired by a classical temple. Its façade featured a broad portico, pediments, and Indiana limestone, while the interior included Sienna marble columns, mosaic floors, bronze ornamentation, and a circular staircase. In 1931, Graham, Anderson, Probst & White remodeled the station to compete with nearby Union Station. The renovation removed the original portico and 28 columns, later relocated to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, creating a Neo-Classical Revival appearance while modernizing the interior.

Burlington Station played a major role in Omaha's growth as a railroad, commercial, and agricultural center, transporting passengers, mail, freight, and agricultural products. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, it was restored for television broadcasting while preserving its historic character. Visitors can appreciate its architecture from the exterior as one of Omaha's surviving railroad landmarks.