A look inside Cheney’s historic train depot as it prepares to reopen following half-century closure

CHENEY, Wash. – A nearly century-old train depot is preparing for its grand reopening after a decade-long effort saved it from demolition.

The Spanish Mission-style building was built in 1929 as Cheney’s second train depot. The architectural style stands out in downtown Cheney.

“Which for the southern United States is common, not in the Pacific Northwest,” said Cole Clark of the Cheney Depot Society.

The building leaves many visitors curious about its purpose.

“What’s this gorgeous building?” Clark said, describing what people wonder as they drive past.

Once bustling with travelers, including President Truman, passenger travel eventually ceased at the depot. It became railway storage in the 1970s and fell into disrepair.

“And if we don’t care about them, we lose them because we almost lost this building in 2014. They were going to tear it down,” Clark said.

Locals rallied, raised funds, and bought the building from the railroad, saving it from demolition.

“We needed to make sure that the building was accessible to not only our locals, but those of us who come to visit. And so we did move it,” Clark said.

In 2020, the entire depot was moved across town, and restoration began, blending history with modern use.

The depot will reopen in a month with Eastern Coffee Roasters.

“It’s been a long time coming for us. We’ve been excited about it every single day,” said Jeff Wright of Eastern Coffee Roasters.

Wright said the location will allow customers to experience history while enjoying coffee.

“Being able to not only sell our coffee and serve our coffee products, but also for them to experience the history while they’re there,” Wright said.

For the Cheney Depot Society, preserving the space with purpose was key.

“What good is saving a building if it is not going to serve a purpose?” Clark said.

Beyond the coffee shop, there will be a conference room, seating, and study space for Eastern Washington University students, all while keeping the building’s history alive.

Clark said sharing the depot’s history with visitors brings her joy.

“For me, getting to share this information with people is so much fun because you having someone go, I didn’t know that. That’s so cool. I’m going to go check that out and seeing them check us out online or come say, can we get a tour of the building? Absolutely. That’s the best, I love it,” Clark said.