One Of The Most Haunted Places In Utah, Rio Grande Depot, Has Been Around Since 1910
There’s a train station in Salt Lake City that’s home to some passengers who never leave. The Denver and Rio Grande Western Depot, commonly referred to as the Rio Grande Depot, is an impressive former train station that’s located in the heart of the city’s downtown. The tracks have been removed and trains haven’t run here in a very long time. But if you spend a little time here, you might notice that something isn’t quite right. If you like ghost stories, here’s your ticket.
The depot was built in 1910 and it was a shining jewel of train travel. It was built for $750,000, the equivalent of more than $20 million today. It represented the future of long distance train travel and the future was very bright...for awhile.
While the gorgeous station launched countless vacations and business trips and even helped send soldiers overseas at wartime, a boom in car travel meant its days were numbered.
Train travel dwindled and eventually the tracks were removed and there were no more trains rolling into the platform. The final passengers all departed. Well, almost.
The most famous is the ”Purple Lady,” a passenger who reportedly was killed after diving onto the tracks to recover a ring after an argument about an engagement. Walk inside and look for her on the station’s main level.
Another ghost sometimes appears on the mezzanine. Is he a past stationmaster or perhaps the fiancee of the Purple Lady? Take a stroll there and decide for yourself.
The station is worth a visit, even if you don’t spot any ghosts. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is home to the Utah State Historical Society and its research center, the Utah Department of Heritage & Arts, and the Rio Gallery. It’s open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. If you like exploring haunted places, here’s an ultra-scary road trip you really should take.
Address: Rio Grande Depot Museum, 270 S Rio Grande St, Salt Lake City, UT 84101, USA
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