Pullman icon gets makeover

After finding an original tile in the old train station’s attic, the Pullman Depot Heritage Center knew it had to go the extra mile and restore the roof to its original condition.

The Whitman County Historical Society, along with other history buffs, are working to restore the Pullman Depot Heritage Center. Major restoration efforts will begin on the roof, and will work their way inside the building. The depot has begun this process, which received around 10,000 ceramic roof tiles this month — all from the company that provided them more than 100 years ago.

The building is one of the oldest structures in downtown Pullman, and played a large role in the town’s early development. The depot has been left untouched for nearly half a decade, and this year it will see the largest renovation in its lifetime.

The Heritage Center was obtained by the Whitman County Historical Society in 2018 from its previous owner, who maintained the station for nearly 20 years. But before it became a historical site, it was a bustling train station.

Built in 1916 and dedicated in 1917, the depot served as one of the first train stations in Pullman, said Kathleen Ryan, project manager at the depot. The Northern Pacific Railroad arrived in Pullman in 1887, and before the structure was built a wooden depot stood in its place. The depot served as a train station until services were discontinued in the 1960s, then used as the Department of Agriculture building until the 1980s.

Linda Hackbarth, chairperson of the depot, said the former train station was a large contributor to the early development of Pullman. Before the prevalence of automobiles, students at Washington State University would travel to Pullman by train. And, instead of transporting wheat by using the river, the station increased the Palouse’s agricultural economy by transferring grain.

“The railroad really contributed to what it took to build Pullman and WSU early on,” Ryan said. “We’re really excited to show people and have them understand how this little town developed.”

According to Ryan, the depot’s exterior has never been touched and its interior saw minor renovations in the 1970s. She added the society began smaller restorations on the center last year, but it will see the largest renovation ever in 2023.

All restoration efforts are funded through grants and donations. Ryan said the Washington State Historical Society provided the depot with $258,020 as part of the Washington State Heritage Capital Project. The depot garnered additional support, around $452,000, from donors and other smaller grants.

Ryan said it was difficult for the depot to determine the color and material of the original roof, as most documentation was in black-and-white photos. It wasn’t until she discovered an original tile in the attic that the depot knew the roof was light green and made of ceramic.

The old tile uncovered a logo from Ludowici, the company that supplied the tiles over 100 years ago. After doing some digging, the society found not only was the business started in the 1880s but it still existed. The society contacted the company based in Ohio and found it still sells the same tiles it did a century ago.

“Once we found these tiles, we thought it would be a shame not to make every effort we could to go back and use it again,” said Hackbarth. “We’re paying big bucks in order to do this, but we felt the commitment was worth it. And it’s a roof that’s warrantied for 75-plus years.”

Along with the roof, the depot will see exterior renovations including new sandstone and oak windows. On the interior, the depot will get new electrical and plumbing systems, as well as renovations to the bathrooms to make them Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible, raised ceilings to their original height, and restoration of the original terrazzo flooring.

All renovations will match features of the depot’s original condition.

“The depot just represents a beauty that we don’t see as much from that age anymore,” said Ryan. “It has such unique features, like the beautifully complex combination of the tile, the brick and sandstone which all represents work by hand.”

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com