Built in 1912, the Gilbertville Depot was opened by the Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Northern Railway Company as part of the "Cedar Valley Road," a rail system which provided both passenger and freight service between Waterloo and Cedar Rapids. The building was divided into three main areas when it was used by the railroad: an electrical substation, a passenger waiting area, and a freight storage area. Throughout the 1980s, the building underwent extensive renovation, eventually becoming part of the Cedar Valley Nature Trail.