WWI Red Cross Canteen

As troop trains began moving in late 1917, it became clear that soldiers needed food between stops at military installations. U.S. Secretary of War Newton Baker requested assistance from the Red Cross. As troops began arriving in Grand Island, the Red Cross Women's Committee, with Elizabeth Meter as chairperson, was tasked with establishing a canteen service in July 1918.

The Union Pacific's old passenger depot had been empty ever since a new depot opened in April 1918. The railroad allowed the old depot to be used as a canteen, and the Red Cross welcomed its first soldiers with small care packages on August 12. Nine units of ten workers were scheduled to stand ready to serve troops from 8:30 am unitl 10:05 pm daily. The canteen served troops as they headed to war in Europe and as they returned home after the war. According to the final report on August 8, 1919, the Grand Island canteen had served 57,890 service men at a cost of $3,429,37 to the local Red Cross chapter.