Sometimes the word "unique" is overused. It is applied to items, locations and people who are certainly unusual but perhaps not unique. There may be art objects, buildings, scenery and people enough like one another that unique is too strong a word. But ask a Kansas City resident if Union Station is unique and they will undoubtedly answer, "Yes."
This venerable building was constructed in 1914 and, in its original design had 900 separate rooms. Of course it was a train station, and at its peak during the war years of 1940 to 1946 thousands upon thousands of passengers used it. With the decline of passenger railroad service, Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri was eventually closed. It stood, neglected, for several years.
In the mid-1990s, a Missouri/Kansas initiative was passed, providing funding for restoration. By 1999, that work was completed and the city had a destination for dining, shopping and many other activities. The Grand Hall alone, with its 95-foot ceiling and huge chandeliers, attracts many visitors.
Union Station now houses numerous excellent restaurants and shops, while serving once again as a train station. It is an operating Amtrak stop. On top of all this, the site is home to a permanent exhibit focusing on Kansas City railroad and its story. Traveling exhibits occupy space in Union Station on a regular basis, as do a planetarium and theatre. Many of the original lights and ceiling details have been restored. Original colors have been restored or preserved as well. Today, Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri is a wonderful combination of new technology and old world charm.
