All Aboard! West-Bound Trains in American Culture

Join the National Willa Cather Center and guests at the historic Burlington Depot on June 4, 2026, as we celebrate the grand opening of All Aboard! West-Bound Trains in American Culture! When the railroad opened in Red Cloud in 1878, the fortunes of the town were forever changed. Our newest permanent exhibit features historical photographs, railway artifacts, and hands-on activities for young and old, all focused around railroad history, the literary legacy of the Burlington, and the railway as a vehicle for the settlement of the West.

The original two-story section of the depot, constructed in 1897, is the building Cather was familiar with during her last years in Red Cloud. Cather uses the depot as a setting in many of her works, like My Ántonia, “The Sculptor’s Funeral,” Lucy Gayheart, and an early play, “The West Bound Train.” 

After undergoing an extensive restoration, the Burlington Depot will now house interpretive panels and hands-on activities organized around the workings of the railroad. The sights—and the sounds!—of the depot have been recreated using audio effects, vivid graphics, and interactive elements that bring history to life through personal stories of the people who passed through the station.