From Train Station to History Preservation, Batavia Depot Museum Celebrates 50 Years in the Community

BATAVIA, IL – In 1855, a depot on Batavia’s east side began welcoming rail travelers. In 1975, it began a new life as the community’s history museum. In 2025, it is Batavia’s history hub and a fixture on the Riverwalk.

Batavia Depot Museum’s spring exhibit, “The Museum a Community Built,” celebrates its 50^th anniversary, telling the story of the community uniting to create and raise funds for a museum, acquire and move the old east-side depot and restore it to house Batavia’s history museum as a Batavia Park District facility.

The exhibit opens with a free reception for the community from 6-8 p.m. on Feb. 28 and runs March 1 through July 20. Featured in the exhibit are historic photos, recollections, the museum’s first artifacts, original videos and tools used to restore the old depot, plus 1970s artifacts.

Also documented in videos is the process of moving the depot building across town. “It was so cool to learn one of the committee members, Walter Kauth, preserved the moments through video footage,” said Batavia Depot Museum Curator Jessica Meis. “We have documents and photos from the big move, but to see footage was really special and it highlighted the magnitude of community involvement in this project.”

The video shows workers walking along the building as it travels and workers riding on top of it, plus students who were let out of school to watch the move. “Everyone cheerleads its journey across Batavia,” Meis said. “I’m very excited the public can see this footage and be a part of that special day in Batavia’s memory.”

The museum’s story begins in 1960 when the Batavia Historical Society was formed and realized a need for a permanent home for its growing collection of artifacts, photos and documents. By 1972, Batavia Park District was investigating the use of an old Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad depot for a community museum. Batavians came together to raise funds to move and restore the structure. Ground was broken in September 1973 at Water and Houston streets. The building was deeded to the park district at the groundbreaking ceremony.

On Oct. 10, 1973, the depot building was moved nine blocks and across the Fox River to its current home on Houston Street. A massive crowd of 2,000 onlookers gathered along the street to see it moved in a community parade.

Batavia Major Jeff Schielke was a reporter covering the move for the Batavia Herald, walking alongside the building as it made it cross-town journey. He recalls the large crowd in attendance clapping a cheering, plus an interesting detail: Electric utility worker Fred Schroeder rode atop the depot to move wires spanning the street and prevent snags as it crossed town. “People said it was an amazing thing to see. Fred was hailed as the hero of the day,” Schielke said.

As the building progressed down the street, he had though: “This is a memorable moment. This building will be in its new location for 100 years to come. People came together to create something special.”

After two years of construction and restoration, Batavia Depot Museum opened to the public on April 12, 1975 with a two-day event celebrating local history. Thousands gathered for the opening. A dedication was held on April 13. By that time, nearly half of all Batavia residents contributed with donations of money or family heirlooms, construction skills or other talents.

“A key highlight of the opening exhibits was the bed Mary Todd Lincoln used during her treatment at Bellevue Place in Batavia,” Meis said. “We still have it on view today.”

Over the years, the museum exhibits expanded to the lower level, the Gustafson Research Center was stocked with materials, the Gunzenhauser Gazebo and the Coffin Bank were added to the museum campus and the Riverwalk was built up around the museum again with contributions from Batavia residents.

“The Batavians who banded together to open the museum in 1975 talked a lot about community pride,” said Batavia Depot Museum Director Kate Garrett. “They wanted future generations to be proud of what Batavia had done and what its people stood for. When visitors see real artifacts like the tools used by Potawatomi people to care for each other, or artillery shells assembled on factory lines during WWII, they are looking at evidence of how everyday Batavians made the community so special by contributing what they could.”

The Batavia Depot Museum building is believed to be the oldest surviving depot from the CB&Q rail line. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The museum is owned and operated by Batavia Park District and the collection is owned by Batavia Historical Society.

For more information on our Batavia Park District programs and events, call (630) 879-5235 or visit bataviaparks.org.

Spring Exhibit at Batavia Depot Museum
What: “The Museum a Community Built” opening reception
When: 6-8 p.m. Feb. 28.
Exhibit runs March 1-July 20
Museum hours: 2-4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Admission is always free
More information: bataviaparks.org/batavia-depot-museum

All photos courtesy of the Batavia Historical Society



The Batavia Depot building at its current location in 1973



The train depot building on Batavia’s east side traveled nine blocks and across the river to get to its current location on Houston Street



The depot building is set into place in 1973. In 1975, Batavia Depot Museum opened to the public