Renovations to Upland’s historic train depot are chugging along as many of the building’s interior projects draw to a close.
The renovations included cosmetic refreshes such as, patching holes in the walls, completing access panel work, giving the inside a fresh coat of paint and re-finishing the floor.
Alex Reno, president of the Upland Parks Department and member of the Upland Historical Society, highlighted the depot’s refinished flooring as his favorite part of the entire project. The floor had been painted since the 1990s, but during the renovation process, workers sanded the paint off and saved the original hardwood.
Other renovations prepared the building to preserve town relics. With the installation of an air conditioner, the depot’s contents and visitors will be kept cool throughout the steamy summer months. Additionally, new internal plantation shutters and a UV window coating will protect historical documents and materials from sunlight damage, Reno said.
Other additions include a scanner, which will enable the town to create electronic copies of historical documents, and a podcast studio, which is expected to be up and running by March 2026, Reno said.
Upland’s train depot is a historic landmark for the town, Mary Fletcher, clerk-treasurer for Upland, explained. Though the depot has moved locations over the years, it now resides at Upland Depot Park on Railroad Street.
Built in 1870, the building is the original depot where travelers bought tickets and waited for their train, Reno said. Today, the depot serves as a space to showcase town history and provides an area for the community to gather.
Renovations began in August 2025. After the Historical Society gave the space a once-over, they realized it needed some love, Reno said.
“It just needed a facelift,” he said. “We went in there, and we were moving the stuff around, just kind of checking out the space, seeing what all was actually in there … And the more we went through, it was just kind of looking a little rough.”
Fletcher agreed the depot needed a refresh.
The building’s old setup hid some of its inherent architectural beauty, she said.
“Now, you can see the original ticket window, and they have the podcast area back where the person that would collect tickets would be … and it's just so nice,” she said.
The town of Upland is planning to upgrade aspects of the depot’s exterior, such as its outdoor lighting, to make the area more inviting for families and visitors, Fletcher said.
The depot’s interior renovations cost approximately $30,000, and the addition of the podcast studio is estimated to be around $5,000. Grants funded large portions of the project, and the Park Department covered the rest, Reno said.
Reno called the project a “great collaboration” that involved multiple groups, including crews from Sebstian Williams, a local construction company, who volunteered their time to complete the renovations.
“(The) Historical Society has been very active in getting the depot fixed up,” he said. “(The) Parks Department is obviously a big part of it. And … a special thanks to the garden club. They do so much in making the property look great, from spring to fall.”
The depot’s refreshed interior will be the center of several upcoming town events, Reno said.
In May, the building will host a new festival called “Depot Days”. During the festival, the depot will hold a state history exhibit featuring local cartoonists such as Jim Davis, the creator of the Garfield comic strip, and Norman Bridwell, the original author and illustrator of the Clifford the Big Red Dog series.
In the fall, Upland’s Community Center will host a traveling Smithsonian Exhibit called “Voices to Votes” for six to eight weeks. Alongside the national exhibit, the town will create its own history exhibit about local elections to be displayed in the depot.
The project’s results have been met with enthusiastic feedback. Reno hopes this will propel community investment in the depot and the town’s historical archives, he said.
Fletcher echoed Reno. Both residents and visitors to Upland have complimented the renovated depot and its ability to showcase local history, she said.
“I hope that it becomes a good spot for families and students to come and learn about the history of Upland and of Indiana,” Fletcher said. “And (I hope) that it helps ingrain the importance of knowing the history behind where you're living and serving.”
