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The building was constructed by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad in 1910 and was intended to outdo the nearby Union Pacific Depot at South Temple and 400 West and built a year earlier.
The story is about a woman who met her fiancée at the train depot; he was a soldier (either WWI or WWII) and she wore a purple outfit, often described as wearing a long purple dress or a 1940s light violet suit with matching shoes, hat, and veil.
The couple argued and the soldier threw the Purple Lady’s engagement ring onto the railroad tracks. When she ran to retrieve the ring she was struck by a train and died instantly.
I have been unable to verify these events in old newspapers articles.
Regardless, the Purple Lady has been sighted at the Rio Grande Depot for more than 80 years. She is often seen near the women’s restroom, downstairs near where the old Rio Grande Café used to be. While the building is currently vacant and undergoing repairs from the 2020 earthquake, it used to house the offices of the Utah Division of State History/Utah Historical Society, and staff often reported sightings.
Stories involve a woman singing in the bathroom, water being turned on, lights flickering and turning off, sounds of footsteps, and even a 3am call from an empty elevator’s emergency phone.
It’s not just the Purple Lady who is said to wander the Rio Grande Depot, many believe that there are numerous ghosts.
The building has been subject to numerous investigations.
Do you have any stories, post in the comments for everyone to read!
Source: Lost Landscapes: Utah's Ghosts, Mysterious Creatures, and Aliens by Linda Dunning. 2007.
The story is about a woman who met her fiancée at the train depot; he was a soldier (either WWI or WWII) and she wore a purple outfit, often described as wearing a long purple dress or a 1940s light violet suit with matching shoes, hat, and veil.
The couple argued and the soldier threw the Purple Lady’s engagement ring onto the railroad tracks. When she ran to retrieve the ring she was struck by a train and died instantly.
I have been unable to verify these events in old newspapers articles.
Regardless, the Purple Lady has been sighted at the Rio Grande Depot for more than 80 years. She is often seen near the women’s restroom, downstairs near where the old Rio Grande Café used to be. While the building is currently vacant and undergoing repairs from the 2020 earthquake, it used to house the offices of the Utah Division of State History/Utah Historical Society, and staff often reported sightings.
Stories involve a woman singing in the bathroom, water being turned on, lights flickering and turning off, sounds of footsteps, and even a 3am call from an empty elevator’s emergency phone.
It’s not just the Purple Lady who is said to wander the Rio Grande Depot, many believe that there are numerous ghosts.
The building has been subject to numerous investigations.
Do you have any stories, post in the comments for everyone to read!
Source: Lost Landscapes: Utah's Ghosts, Mysterious Creatures, and Aliens by Linda Dunning. 2007.
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