In 1906 prominent members of Steamboat Springs met to raise funds to bring the railroad to the rural town. In 1909 the first passenger coach arrived at the newly constructed Depot. The impact of the arrival of the railroad was tremendous; the economy and population of the entire Yampa Valley were drastically changed. Regular passenger service continued through 1968, when passenger service was cancelled. Today trains full of coal from the Moffat County mines still pass by frequently.

Due to the loss of passenger service the Depot was abandoned in 1968, and was deeded to the City of Steamboat Springs. Eleanor Bliss, Carol Finoff & friends founded the Steamboat Springs Arts Council in 1972. In 1978 the Depot received National Register of Historic Places Designation.

Eleanor led a “Save the Depot” campaign in 1980 and saved the historic Depot building from being condemned, while rehabilitating it for use as a full time community arts center. The building was officially named Eleanor Bliss Center for the Arts in 1989 and is now referred to as the Depot Art Center.