It is located at the western end of the main plaza building, between it and the former railroad right-of-way.

Windows are set in round-arch openings, as is a secondary entrance on the track-facing northern facade.

The freight office was built about 1870, and is a prominent local example of Second Empire styling.

It is also the last surviving element of what was once a large suite of railroad-related buildings, including passenger, freight, and maintenance operations that populated the city's railyards.

The freight office and shed would have been a major service and transit point for the city's merchants and economy.