Depot May Be Derailed WILMINGTON, IL -- The old Wilmington depot, a landmark on Kankakee Street since 1869, is under threat of demolition. "It was a vital, vital link for Wilmington's growth," historian Sandy Vasko said. "It was one of the reasons that Wilmington thrived. I believe it was Wilmington's lifeline." Early commuters used the line to travel to Joliet for high school and later junior college. The railroad stretched north to Chicago and south to St. Louis and beyond. A connecting route took local passengers to Custer Park and Ritchie. Early Wilmington residents could order goods and merchandise from Chicago and expect delivery the next day, Vasko said. The Union Pacific Railroad has notified the Wilmington Depot Association that it intends to demolish the structure if it is not moved soon, Vasko said, speaking as a commissioner on the Will County Historic Preservation Commission Wednesday night. Union Pacific has given the association until mid-September to get that very challenging job done. For nine years, the depot group has worked on a number of plans, including a proposal to move the depot to the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. That idea fell through, as did others. In 2000, the Union Pacific offered to give the depot to the city if it was moved from present location, saying that the railroad wanted to move all old depots within 50 feet of the tracks, including the one in Wilmington. This time, the UP says the deteriorating depot must be moved because the route has been designated for high speed rail. The structure was built by the Chicago and Alton Railroad, which hauled coal from the Braidwood and Wilmington areas. "About five years ago, we were willing to consider contributing the dollar amount of what it would cost for demolition or to a group that would of been willing to move the depot," Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis said Thursday. "Right now it needs to be removed from the area. Now we're looking at tearing down the structure." - Mary Baskerville, The Kankakee Daily Journal
