New Haven Union Station

COLLECTION HISTORY

The people behind the place.

Cass Gilbert designed the present Union Station, which opened in 1920. It succeeded earlier stations, including the building lost to fire in 1918. The station’s name alone does not establish which building appears in a historical photograph. [CT060-S01]

The main building closed in 1973, while passengers continued to reach trains through the subway. Restoration returned the building to use in 1985. Its history demonstrates that a station building can fall out of use while the railway itself continues operating. [CT060-S01]

Cass Gilbert's 1920 station followed earlier buildings, including the station lost to fire in 1918. The name Union Station therefore identifies a continuing transport role as well as a particular structure. A historical image must be matched to the building it actually shows; the familiar name alone does not make it a view of the present station. [CT060-S01]

The main building's closure in 1973 did not end the railway. Passengers continued through the subway, preserving access while the monumental waiting-room building was out of use. Restoration in 1985 reunited that public interior with its transport function. This sequence makes preservation a story of choices and continued need, rather than a building simply remaining unchanged. Interior photographs, exterior views and platform records can show different parts of the station, while each source's date establishes which stage of that history it represents. [CT060-S01]