Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Station
Why it's listed
Built in 1914 beside the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy tracks in Canton, Illinois, this one-story station was based on plans from the railroad's Galesburg Division, with G.B. Swift Company as builder. A similar station built in Kewanee in 1918 was razed in 1985. The load-bearing brick walls rest on a concrete foundation and sit on a limestone water table, with distinctive brickwork that creates a rusticated effect. A hipped roof, originally clay tile and replaced with asphalt shingles in the 1960s, covers the building. Inside, separate men's and women's waiting rooms flank a central entry, ticket office and baggage area. Original features include glazed brick wainscoting, plaster cornices, hexagonal tile floors, oak woodwork, and a brass-grilled ticket window. Brick paving also survives outside. Listed for its role in transportation from 1914 to 1943, the station remains in good overall condition, with only minor known alterations, mainly changes to the waiting rooms and the north baggage door.
Significance in brief: The form marks Criterion A with Transportation as the area of significance, covering 1914-1943. The station served rail travel in Canton and retains much of its original exterior and interior fabric, including the ticket office, waiting rooms and site paving.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 93000842, listed August 31, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Along 4th Ave. between E. Elm St. and E. Chestnut St., Canton |
|---|---|
| County | Fulton County |
| Listed | August 31, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000842 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1914-1943 |
| Architect / builder | G.B. Swift Company, Builder |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Function listed as work in progress; overall condition described as good, with peeling paint, some broken windows covered by plywood, and water standing in the basement. Owned by the City of Canton. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.55655, -90.02897 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 93000842.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5095403
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.