Welcome to our new website!  

DONATE NOW
BECOME A MEMBER

HISTORIC TIMELINE

  • 1929 timeline

    1929

    In a joint statement on March 31, 1929, both Union Pacific and Burlington officials announced the construction of a new Union Station and a remodeling of the Burlington Depot. The purpose of the collaboration between the two railroads was to provide "...Omaha railroad passengers, terminal facilities equal to those of any city of its size in the country."

    Construction began on Union Station in May of 1929. It was designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood and Company in the art deco style of architecture. Mr. Underwood designed every detail of the building, including light fixtures, filing cabinets and doorplates.

  • 1931

    Union Station was completed and opened as a passenger train station. The dedication ceremony was held on January 15, 1931.
    What is a Union Station? To be a union station, a train depot must serve more than one railroad line. Seven railroads stopped at Omaha’s Union Station.

  • 1971

    Union Station closed after Congress established the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, now Amtrak, to handle all railroad passenger travel. The last train left Union Station at 2:00am May 2, 1971. Increased air travel and the completion of major interstate highway networks significantly reduced passenger traffic on the nation's commercial rail system.

  • 1973

    Union Pacific gifts Union Station to the city of Omaha.

  • 1975

    Union Station opened as the Western Heritage Museum, displaying small regional history exhibits and private collections. The Bostwick-Frohardt Collection was the first donation to the museum and laid the foundation of the museum’s Photo Archive.

  • 1985

    The City of Omaha transfers the Byron Reed Collection from the Omaha Public Library to the Western Heritage Museum under the stipulation that it be cared for according to best practices and a portion of it always be available for public viewing.

  • 1995

    Restoration of Union Station closed the museum for six months. The $22 million project included a new parking deck, a new roof, new mechanical and electrical systems, new office spaces, classrooms, gift shop and new permanent exhibits. The current Suzanne and Walter Scott Great Hall was repainted and restored. Interactive sculptures by local sculptor John Lajba were added to the Great Hall, and a 22,000 square foot addition, now the Trish and Dick Davidson Gallery was built over Track #1.

  • 1996

    The renovation project was completed and the Western Heritage Museum reopened to the public.

  • 1997

    The Western Heritage Museum is re-named the Durham Western Heritage museum in honor of Charles and Margre Durham, the driving forces behind its restoration.

  • 2002

    During 2002, the museum welcomed its one-millionth visitor. In October, the Durham Western Heritage Museum is named an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. This partnership allows the museum access to Smithsonian Institution artifacts through direct loan or as a part of traveling exhibits. In addition, access to educational programs is also available.

  • 2003

    Construction began on the Velde Gallery of American History, a 12,500 square foot addition designed to house temporary exhibits.

  • 2004

    Construction of the Velde Gallery was completed. This facility, with its independent environmental system, was designed to respond to requirements associated with temporary exhibits from any national or international lender. Churchill and the Great Republic, from the Library of Congress, was the inaugural exhibit in the new space.

  • 2007

    Renovation of the 1899 boiler house, a relic of the first Union Station, commenced. The renovated facility houses the 266-seat theatre style Stanley and Dorothy Truhlsen Lecture Hall, an auditorium equipped with state of the art audio and video and digital learning technology. Collaboration has grown to include not only the Smithsonian Institution and the Library of Congress but the National Archives and prestigious private institutions including the Field Museum.

  • 2008

    The museum is renamed The Durham Museum to better reflect its mission of not only preserving Omaha’s history but also educating the community on subjects related to the region, nation and world.

  • 2016

    On December 23, 2016, Union Station was designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service and U.S. Department of the Interior. A ceremony was held on April 7, 2017, to officially unveil the Historic Landmark plaque for Omaha's Union Station.

  • 2020

    The museum completed a comprehensive $4 million, multi-year (2017-2020) exterior restoration project led by masonry experts from McGill Restoration. Approximately 68,000 square feet of existing terracotta was repaired and reglazed. All rusted metal was removed and replaced with stainless steel.

  • 2023

    Working with restoration and preservation specialists from EverGreene Architectural Arts, the museum finished another major milestone in the continued care for Omaha’s Union Station — the restoration of Union Station’s ornate Art Deco ceilings. With its completion, the full splendor of Union Station’s iconic space was recaptured.