Katy celebrates 125th birthday of MKT Depot

CITY OF KATY (Covering Katy News) - The iconic Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad Depot is now 125 years old, and a birthday celebration is being held in downtown Katy today, January 14, 2023.

MKT engineer hats will be available for the kids. There will also be commemorative cookies, tours of the train depot, and a G-Scale model train. Organizers are promising to reveal a new addition to the park where the depot and the historic MKT caboose are located.

The Katy Heritage Society is hosting the event.

ALSO READ: Iconic Katy Train arrives for public viewing

"In 1979, the Depot had deteriorated and was slated to be removed or destroyed," a post on the Katy Heritage Society website says, "a concerned group of citizens formed an organization to save the historic building. They called themselves The Katy Heritage Society."

The City of Katy purchased the building for $25 and moved it to a location near Katy Park. In 2005 it was relocated to the present site at 5615 First Street. The location was named City of Katy Railroad Park.

The MKT Depot is now a museum of local railroad history. The Katy Heritage Society manages it.

The event is from 2 to 4 p.m. at 5615 First Street in Katy.