Rio Grande Depot
Might this former railroad depot still welcome some paranormal passengers on its concourse?
Paranormal Claims at
Rio Grande Depot
- The figure of The Purple Lady is often seen
- Ghostly footsteps are heard throughout the building
- People report cold spots in the elevator
- Visitors report seeing shadow figures in the building
- An apparition of a former stationmaster is sometimes reported
- Faucets in the bathroom are known to turn on and off by themselves
- Lights are said to turn on and off by themselves in the building
- Visitors and workers report unexplainable eerie feelings
Rio Grande Depot: An SLC Cornerstone
Sometimes, it’s more about the journey than the destination. Through history, no mode of transportation encapsulated that belief quite like 1900s American train travel.
While many rail lines and stations have since disappeared, the history of rail travel remains preserved at Salt Lake City, Utah’s Rio Grande Depot.
Rio Grande Depot spent almost a century as a major travel hub in Salt Lake City. Even after it closed and the rail lines were disassembled, the historic depot continued being a community resource.
Today, Rio Grande Depot remains a cornerstone of Utah’s transportation history. Through its years of use, some ghostly travelers may have gotten lost on their trips to the afterlife, and decided to make the Rio Grande Depot their permanent haunt.
Timeline of Rio Grande Depot's History
Swipe or use timeline points to see Rio Grande Depot through the years
1910
Competition fueled progress in the railroad business in the early 1900s. In the western US, several prominent railroad companies fought for domination. When rail giant Union Pacific built a spacious new station in Salt Lake City in the early 1900s, competitors looked to do the same. The regional Denver and Rio Grande Railroad opened their own competing depot a few blocks away in 1910.
The Rio Grande Depot, as this station soon became known, would go on to serve the travelers of Salt Lake City for generations to come.
1975
For decades, Rio Grande Depot remained a recognizable fixture of Salt Lake City. The building’s striking brick facade and bright, stylized neon sign made it an unforgettable part of many Utah travelers’ journeys. In 1975, the building’s enduring impact on Salt Lake City was recognized when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Two years later, the State of Utah purchased Rio Grande Depot for $1. As rail travel dwindled, the state discontinued old rail lines and made the building the home of the state historical society.
1986
While private passenger rail lines closed throughout the US in the 70s and 80s, the Rio Grande Depot stayed active as the home of the Utah State Historical Society. In 1986, trains started returning to the depot. That year, Amtrak moved their service station to Rio Grande, operating there through 1999.
In 2000, the last tracks were pulled up, ending the building’s rail service for good. But the historical society remained, and other tenants soon moved in.
2020
By 2020, the Rio Grande Depot was home to the state historical society, a museum, and a cafe. Unfortunately, that year, a significant earthquake hit the area, damaging the depot’s structure. Rio Grande Depot has been closed since then, undergoing renovation and retrofitting. While no date is set for its reopening yet, the depot remains a visual staple of the surrounding neighborhood.
And though it is still currently closed to the public, Rio Grande Depot may keep a few ghosts for company.
Is Rio Grande Depot Haunted?
Rio Grande Depot is home to numerous ghost stories, but none are as famous as The Purple Lady. Stretching back to the 1940s, the story goes that a woman arrived at Rio Grande and waited at the station for her fiancé’s train. When her fiancé arrived, they got into a fight on the platform. The fight ended with the man throwing his engagement ring onto the train tracks and storming off.
In a fit of despair, the woman jumped onto the tracks to retrieve the ring, only to be killed by an oncoming train. Local legend suggests her ghost may still remain at the Rio Grande Depot.
The Purple Lady’s Ghost
The Purple Lady is most often seen as an apparition with long, jet black hair in a vintage purple dress. Her flowing form is said to be most commonly spotted around the hallway from the main station to the cafe area.
But, that’s not the only area The Purple Lady purportedly appears.
Some visitors claim to see her figure manifesting in the women’s bathroom. Others see her walking all through the building, apparently not held to one area.
While recent research suggests her story may have come from an imaginative tour guide in the 80s and not an actual grisly death, The Purple Lady’s legend remains a popular SLC legend.
Find the Spiritual Stationmaster
While Rio Grande Depot may be best known for its purple apparition, The Purple Lady is not the only mysterious specter haunting the building.
Witnesses say there’s a shadowy male figure lurking at the depot. While he remains unidentified, one identity often placed on this shadow figure is of a former stationmaster. His shifting silhouette is a known wanderer, but his hotspots are said to be the lobby and balcony areas.
Cold Spots & Freaky Faucets
Though the depot is known for its apparitions and shadow figures, some spirits in the building apparently prefer not to be seen. The elevator is purportedly haunted by one of these unseen specters. This unknown spirit is thought to be the cause of sudden, frigid cold spots manifesting in the elevator at times.
In certain areas of Rio Grande Depot, invisible hands mess with the electricity and the plumbing. In the depot bathrooms, faucets are reportedly turned on and off by unseen forces. Similarly, the depot’s ghosts are supposedly known for flipping lights on and off throughout the building.
Footsteps Echo Through the Depot
Disembodied footsteps are another frequent report at the old depot. The footstep reports are especially common from building security guards, who often patrol at night or in quiet areas of the building. Footsteps will be loud enough to echo at times, but whenever a guard goes looking for trespassers, they find themselves alone in the building.
At times, these phantom footsteps are paired with unexplainable eerie feelings. Witnesses say it’s like unseen figures are watching them from the depot’s shadows.
Rio Grande Depot:
A Haunted Hotspot in Waiting
Today, renovation work remains ongoing after the 2020 earthquake. But the work being done is expected to make the building much more quake-proof, as well as bring it back to its former glory.
Previous tenants have since moved out, but the Utah State Historical Society hopes to reestablish itself within as soon as the building reopens. As work continues, Rio Grande Depot does not provide tours or allow any admittance to the building. But, that doesn’t stop lore from developing.
Ghost stories remain popular around the depot, especially The Purple Lady’s. Locals and paranormal enthusiasts alike wonder if the Rio Grande’s ghost stories will change or develop once it reopens.
Perhaps the cold spots will reach beyond the elevator, or the phantom footsteps will find new corridors to roam. Trains may not stop at the Rio Grande Depot anymore, but this historic building may always be home to a few spirits, waiting patiently for their trip to the afterlife.
