Platt Gardens

In 1924, New York architects Carrere and Hastings prepared plans for a Spanish-style station of the Union Pacific Railroad on the Boise Bench, a bluff providing spectacular views of the city and surrounding mountains. The scheme featured a grand boulevard plan on a radial with access to the State Capitol. On August 21, 1927, the seven-acre Platt Gardens at the approach were dedicated and named for Howard V. Platt, then general manager of the original Oregon Short Line Railroad. The park was designed by Ricardo Espino, a noted Spanish landscape architect from Los Angeles. While waiting for passengers arriving on the train visitors enjoyed a winding walkway, koi pond, monument of volcanic rock, and seasonal planting beds. The site’s vantage point on the Boise Bench provides a dramatic view of the city. The depot was placed on the National Register in 1974. The City of Boise took possession of the depot and park in 1996 through a donation from Union Pacific.