Illinois Central Railroad and Toledo, Peoria, and Western Railroad Freight House
Why it's listed
Built in 1890 at the southeast corner of the crossing of the Illinois Central and Toledo, Peoria, and Western railroads, this L-shaped wood freight house handled all incoming and outgoing freight for El Paso. It replaced an earlier freight house destroyed by fire in 1889. Inside, a diagonal party wall divided the offices of the two railroads, which each kept freight agents there. Walls are horizontal drop siding, the roof is gabled with slate and asphalt shingles, and wide wooden loading docks run along the north and west sides. Local lumber yards, a brick works, a canning company, a creamery and other businesses shipped goods through the building, along with area farmers. Highway paving in the late 1920s and 1930s brought railroad decline, though freight operations continued into the 1960s. It is the last remaining building tied to both rail lines in the town, which grew up around their crossing. The building is now vacant and needs roof and exterior repairs.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it meets Criterion A for its role in El Paso's transportation history from 1890 to 1944. It served both railroads as the shipping point for local industries, businesses, residents and area farmers. It is the last remaining building associated with the two railroad lines in El Paso.
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 94000973, listed August 16, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 8--10 E. Front St., El Paso |
|---|---|
| County | Woodford County |
| Listed | August 16, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000973 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1890-1944 |
| 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) | Currently vacant, with the roof and exterior in need of repair; owned by the City of El Paso. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.73798, -89.01562 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 94000973.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q24061409
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.