The structure on this site was built in 1854 at the southeast corner of Webster and Van Buren Streets, the first depot built by what became (in 1856) the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad.

The plans called for a “special rather than standard design,” which is demonstrated by elaborate architectural detail, including board-and-batten siding and the arrangement and design of the doors and windows. It is now among the oldest surviving railroad depots in Illinois and—with its steeply pitched gable roof and open, extended eaves with ornate brackets—a significant example of the Gothic Revival style as applied to small-scale railroad depots.

This depot represents the role of rail service in Batavia’s growth as a city and development as a manufacturing center for windmills and other industries.

In 1969, local business leaders, led by Arthur B. Swanson, Philip B. Carlson, and Philip B. Elfstrom, purchased the building. Carlson and Philip J. Becker launched a successful fundraising campaign in May 1973 with a challenge grant from the Hansen-Furnas Foundation Inc. In October 1973, the building was moved from its original location to this site, donated by the City of Batavia. Batavia’s historical museum was dedicated and opened to the public in April 1975.

In June 1979, Batavia Depot Museum was listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the “Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad Depot.”