The Rio Grande Depot

 The Rio Grande Depot was an old train station on the west side of downtown Salt Lake City. It was built by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad in 1910. From 1986 to 1999 it served as SLC’s Amtrak station. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. It is also supposed to be haunted.

Anyway, currently, you cannot go inside. But I noticed it on our way into town and decided we need to check it out, cause you know I love me some old buildings.

Quick Details:

Length: NA
Trail Type: NA
Difficulty: Get out and see DR1
Elevation Gain: NA
Restroom: No
Dogs? No. Big Cottonwood Canyon is watershed.
Other Info:

To Get Here:

Take i15 to 600 South, head west to 400 west. Turn left. head north to 300 South, turn left again. You will see it at the end of the street.

300 S Rio Grande St, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Heading into downtown via 4th South (PSP (Passenger Seat Photography). With some fun colorful art on the pedestrian fence.

Downtown (PSP).

The back side of the building (PSP).

Neat old water tower (PSP).

The Adventure:

We found a pretty good parking spot not too far from it.

It was designed by Chicago architect Henry Schlacks. Built with style elements from the renaissance revival and beaux arts. The arched windows were originally green glass intended to keep the waiting area cool.

It had a barber shop, a restaurant, a men’s smoking room, and women’s lounge. As well as a telegraph office and a snack bar.

The old neon sign on top which has been a beloved landmark for years was recently upgraded to LED back in 2019. It also is now double sided and can be seen from both sides now.

Here is an image from last month while heading north on i15.

More info in this article (outside link) but it also shows the old sign.

Panoramic showing the full building.

It was specifically built to surpass the Union Pacific Depot that was built the previous year. Schlacks had a long time feud with them.

The arched windows and a pretty eagle.

Something appears to be happening here since there is fencing all around it. I know that the 2020 earthquake damaged it a bit, so they are probably retrofitting it due to that.

That appears to be a historical marker, which we can’t get to with the fencing at the moment.

One of the 2 big pillar signs.

Flags.

So, last I checked the future of the building is still in the air. One group wants to make it a transportation hub again and have Frontrunner and Amtrak run underground along 5th west to here. With Trax and buses connect to the east. I really like that idea. Another group wants to turn it into an indoor farmers market of sorts. However, last I heard, it sound the the University of Utah is now trying to purchase it. Source (outside link). I am not sure how I feel about that. Can we just have ONE historic train station be restored to a train station??? I need to get my ass up to Ogden before they muck that one up.

Panoramic.

The other pillar sign.

You can make out some of the old removed signage that weathered into it.

Boarded up doors.

More on the haunting - The Purple Lady: after fighting with her fiancé, the Purple Lady threw her engagement ring on the train track. She changed her mind, dove for the ring, and was run over by a train. Now, she wanders the halls and the ladies’ room of the Rio Grande Depot in all her purple spookiness. 

I really wish I had the opportunity to go inside while it was still open. But, crossing my fingers that I will get a chance some day.

The neat water tower across the street again.

Head on again.

The updated sign again.

The Rio Grande Hotel. It looks like people live in it now. I can’t seem to find much on it, but from what I did find it appears to be a leg-up program to help the residents stay afloat.

This looks like a nice old neon sign. I might have to come back at night sometime.

Back to the Rio Grande.

The water tower again as we make out way to the next destination (PSP).

Heading east on 300 South into downtown (PSP).

Well, I am sad that we couldn’t explore inside. It looks like it is an absolutely lovely building. But, I am glad it hasn’t been torn down and I mean, they recently upgraded the sign. So there is hope that it may one day be be accessible again. Plus, it really is just a neat old building with neat architecture. 9 out of 10 squirrels. Losing one because the State is being stupid about it.

As for difficulty, it is currently just a get out and see, maybe walk around a little bit DR1.

Dogs are allowed on city sidewalks. Be sure to clean up after your furry friends.

The Original Utah State Capitol Lions

 The Utah State Capitol Lions were replaced in 2007 with marble lions sculpted by Nick Fairplay. The original cement lions were auctioned off. 3 of them went to Lagoon and the 4th was purchased by Ron Case. It seemed to disappear from the public eyes for a while, all while hiding in plain sight. After some digging the fourth was finally found outside Ron Case Roofing at about 440 South Redwood Road. Seeing how I do not foresee me going to Lagoon anytime soon, I jumped at the opportunity to see this one.

Quick Details:

Length: How ever far away you park.
Trail Type: Get out and see.
Difficulty: Get out and see DR1.
Elevation Gain: NA
Restroom: No. There is a 7/11 across the street though.
Dogs? Dogs are allowed on city sidewalks, leashed.
Other Info: It is on private property, but can be seen from the sidewalk and the street.

To Get Here:

Take i80 to Redwood Road head south about a block and a half to 440 south. You will see a large billboard for Ron Case Roofing on the west side of the road, it is right underneath it.

Ron Case Roofing has a small driveway before a gate. Since they were closed, I figured it would be okay to park there for 2 minutes while I looked at his acquisition. Otherwise you will need to find street parking.

Gross stormy weather (Passenger Seat Photography(PSP)).

The Trail:

There it is, under the billboard.

The sign says roofing supplies, but he also has quite the junkyard with some interesting old pieces. I bet American Pickers could have a field day in here.

The back of the lion. It is quite a bit bigger than I anticipated!

When the restoration work began on the State Capitol in 1999 the state of the deteriorating lions were reevaluated and it was decided they should be replaced, so new marble lions were commissioned when the work began on the steps in 2007.

The old lions went up for auction back in 2009. Lagoon purchased 3 of them for $1600. Local business owner Ron Case won that last and largest one for about $8k. When interviewed Ron Case said he didn’t want the lion to leave SLC and that Salt Lake’s Westside was worthy of a “lion size portion of pride.”

The Front.

Lagoon restored the other 3 lions and have them on display outside of Cannibal now. Ron Case however stated: he does not intend to restore the lion as it is art and history just as it is. 

Source Fox13’s Uniquely Utah (outside link)

Even in his diminished state, he is quite fantastic. I agree with Ron, it does deserve to stay in our city. And I appreciate that thanks to him, I don’t have to pay Lagoon to see at least 1 of the old historic lions! I think it is a little bit of a fuck you to us to have to pay to see the other 3. But, I get that they did pay to restore them, but still.

With the sign above.

Handsome fella. I mentioned they were restored in 1976, oddly enough that was done by Ralphael Plescia of Ralphael Plescia’s Christian School. I have been on the hunt for these lions since I went there 2 years ago and I finally found them, and eventually made my way out to this one.

The original 4 lions were sculpted out of cement in 1917 by artist Gavin Jack.

From the back.

Yes he’s crumbling, but come on he is more than 100 years old! Plus, I think it gives him a little character.

Continuing around to the other side.

The front again.

Neat old Pepsi sign in the junkyard. We couldn’t make out any markings to indicate where it might have come from.

The front side again.

The face again. This is super neat!

With the sign.

Neat old tractors.

The gate we parked in front of.

Bonus: The other 3 lions. These will not be my images. Like I said I don’t foresee me going to Lagoon anytime soon, so here are a few images from the web.

Cannibal with 2 of the lions.

Closer to one of them.

Closeup. Previous 3 images from the Uniquely Utah Facebook page.

Also from Uniquely Utah FB, but it shows one of the original lions in its original spot at the State Capitol.

At Lagoon.

Before restoration. Previous 2 images from the Utah State Capitol Facebook.

More bonus content The new lions that were installed in 2009. From our trip last year.

The west side:

Patience.

Honor.

The east side:

Fortitude

Integrity

Well, that was fun! I am glad we finally located, and eventually visited it! It is super neat and worth the little side adventure to go so it 10 out of 10 squirrels.

As for difficulty, it really is just off the road so drive up and see. DR1.

Dogs are allowed on city sidewalks. Be sure to clean up after your furry friends.