April 8 marks the 105th anniversary of the grand opening of Chapala’s former railway station, an architectural gem that has endured a checkered history to become one of the town’s most iconic landmarks.
Now home to the Centro Cultural González Gallo, the historic building remains a testament to Chapala’s rich past.
To commemorate the occasion, the cultural center is hosting a series of special events through April 11:
• Thursday, April 3: Orquesta de Cámara de Zapopan and the opening of an architectural photography exhibit (on display until April 13).
• Friday, April 4: Guitar and piano concert by Hugo Acosta and Everardo Rojas, 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, April 5: Abrazados por el Danzón dance performance, 6:30 p.m.
• Sunday, April 6: Violin and piano concert by Brazil’s Dúo Salles-Barrenechea, 12:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 8: Orquesta Típica de Chapala and Ballet Folclórico Ixtlacateotl, 6:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, April 9: Presentation of the Chapala Train Station coloring book and a history lesson for children, 5 p.m.
• Friday, April 11: Conference on the Estación del Tren de Chapala as a cultural heritage site, presented by University of Guadalajara architecture professor Jorge Octavio Ocaranza, 4 p.m.
A Brief Railway History
Though it remained in operation for just six years, Chapala’s railway station symbolized the bold ambitions of visionary entrepreneurs whose dreams were ultimately derailed by political turmoil, economic challenges, and natural disasters.
The Chapala railway line was the brainchild of Christian Schjetnan, a Norwegian adventurer-entrepreneur who fell in love with Chapala in 1907. He envisioned transforming the town into a world-class resort and convinced wealthy U.S. and Mexican investors to join him in founding the Companía de Fomento de Chapala S.A., a company dedicated to developing luxury tourism services. Guillermo de Alba, a prominent Guadalajara architect, was commissioned to design and build the Chapala railway station along with several smaller depots along the route.
The railway officially launched on April 8, 1920, with an inaugural journey that departed Guadalajara’s main station at 8:30 a.m. and arrived in Chapala at 12:45 p.m. Regular daily service began shortly thereafter.
However, Schjetnan and his partners failed to anticipate the challenges that would soon arise. As automobile travel from Guadalajara became more accessible, the train faced increased competition. The final blow came in 1925 and 1926, when Lake Chapala’s water levels surged to historic highs, flooding the station with more than a meter of water and mud. Train service was halted, plans for a luxury hotel were abandoned, and the development company eventually dissolved.
In the years that followed, ownership of the station and surrounding land changed hands multiple times. Eventually, Jalisco Governor Jesús González Gallo acquired the property, but it fell into severe disrepair, even serving as shelter for squatter families and their livestock. In the early 1990s, González Gallo’s heirs donated the station to the state government.
Restoration efforts took nearly a decade, with work progressing in fits and starts. Finally, on March 28, 2006, the building was reborn as the Centro Cultural González Gallo, named in honor of the late governor. Among the distinguished guests at the grand reopening was Christian Schjetnan Garduño, grandson of the Norwegian entrepreneur who once dreamed of turning Chapala into a premier resort destination.