Kansas Profile – Now That’s Rural: Lois Wenz, Holyrood depot
At a glance: Holyrood once was the western terminus of the Santa Fe railroad. Beginning in 2014, a group of local volunteers led the effort to preserve and renovate the depot, which now includes an ADA-accessible bathroom, museum and community meeting room.
More information: Ron Wilson, rwilson@ksu.edu, 785-532-7690
Photos: Ron Wilson | Holyrood Santa Fe Train Depot
Website: Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development
Feb. 19, 2025
By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University
In the old days of steam engines, how did a locomotive turn around to go the other direction when it came to the end of the track? It required a turnaround station.
In the 1800s, the turnaround station in one rural Kansas community literally needed all available men in town to turn the train around. It is one aspect of the fascinating history of this town whose citizens have saved its historic Santa Fe depot and remodeled it for the benefit of the community.
Last week we met Lois and Gilbert Wenz, the owners and founders of Wenz Interiors in Holyrood. Lois told us about the remarkable history of Holyrood and the preservation and remodeling of the community’s historic train depot.
At right: Santa Fe Train Depot | Download this photo
Holyrood (pronounced Holly-ruud) has an interesting history. Holyrood was founded in 1874 and was established as a city in 1886.
The town grew with churches, schools and businesses. It even had two newspapers: The Holyrood Banner and the Holyrood Gazette. The Gazette was edited by Leonard Sekavec, known as Sek. For 40 years, he wrote a column titled – wait for it – "Sek's Appeal."
One of the factors contributing to Holyrood’s growth was the fact that it was a railroad town. For a number of years, it was the terminus of the track – literally, the end of the line. The railroad built a depot in Holyrood in 1887.
After many years, rail service ended in Holyrood and the depot was abandoned. Over time, it became dilapidated.
“It was practically falling down,” Wenz said. A group of citizens in Holyrood decided to save this historic building and restore it for future generations.
In 2014, the preservation and restoration project got underway. The first step was to get a new roof. The group successfully went after grants for the roof and the repairs that followed. The Kansas Historical Society donated a Heritage Trust Fund Grant in 2015.
Town members also received grants from the Smoky Hills Charitable Foundation and the Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund. Local people organized a ball and auction and numerous other fundraisers.
Volunteers donated many hours to work on the building. When the Covid pandemic hit, Gilbert Wenz used the time to replicate the trim and do other work inside the depot.
“We found the original cabinetry, rewired vintage lights, and so much more. People from all ages helped, even the Boy Scouts,” Wenz said.
The Holyrood Santa Fe depot has an unusual distinction. It is said to be one of only five train depots in the nation to be built on pilings on its original site. The depot is on the state and national registers of historic places.
Today, the depot has been renovated, fully insulated and includes an ADA-accessible bathroom. It also includes a community meeting room and a museum with artifacts reflecting the community. It is a remarkable achievement for a rural community such as Holyrood, population 387 people. Now, that’s rural.
For more information, search for Holyrood Depot on Facebook.
There is another interesting factor about the train operations in Holyrood. In the 1800s, when a train reached the end of the track, how did it turn around? Unlike a car, a locomotive can’t just make a U-turn. Instead, trains used a turntable: A platform on which a locomotive could be loaded and then rotated so the train could go in the opposite direction.
In more modern times, a turntable could be operated with electric motors or hydraulic systems. But how was this done in the 1800s?
“We had neighbors who were in their 90s who told us that, when the train blew the whistle, all the available men came to the roundtable and physically turned the platform around with 2x4s,” she said.
Imagine what a hard task that must have been. The saying goes that it takes a village to raise a child. In this case, it took a town to turn a train.
We commend the Holyrood boosters and supporters who made a difference by saving and preserving this historic depot and putting it to use for the benefit of the community. What a turnaround!
Audio and text files of Kansas Profiles are available at www.huckboydinstitute.org/kansas-profiles. For more information about the Huck Boyd Institute, interested persons can visit www.huckboydinstitute.org.
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