Every year, newly admitted first-year students participate in Eastern Washington University’s annual walking through the pillars event. The new freshmen will walk through Eastern’s famous Herculean pillars. The tradition has been around for over a hundred years, and it symbolizes the start of a new journey. During the early years of Eastern Washington, future students would ride on train cars and would disembark together at Cheney Depot. After arriving at the depot, students would pass through the pillars and head into Showalter Hall. Students that lived in Spokane would also travel via train.
That same depot was at risk of being demolished until efforts to renovate the depot were made. As long as the depot was moved out of the way of the railyard, it would be allowed to stand. Dr. Jeff Stafford is the head of the project to revitalize the depot. The motivation behind the project is to preserve a key part of Cheney history and to connect the past to the present. The project plans to create an anchor for the community. The depot will include a public meeting space, a museum to showcase the history of Cheney, and lastly, a coffee shop.
Dr. Stafford stated that they are looking for donations to fund the depot. Every dollar they receive in donations will be matched by the Hansen family up to $700,000. Along with donations they are in need of volunteers to bring this historical landmark back to its glory days.
The depot has already undergone renovations to its electrical, plumbing and heating systems with better insulation and further updates next up on its bucket list. Construction has been underway since last spring and will be a multi-year project that will be finished soon.
Last week, Walker Construction and EWU ROTC cadets moved an HVAC unit and historical relics that are associated with the depot; however, they are in need of more volunteers for similar tasks. When the weather is suitable, doors will need to be moved along with other tasks associated with the depot. Those interested can send an email to [email protected].
