Rushford
Former Milwaukee Road passenger rail station
The Rushford, MN Depot in 2001
General information
Location401 S. Elm St.
Coordinates43°48′25″N 91°45′19″W
History
Opened1867
Closed1960
Services
Preceding station Milwaukee Road Following station
Peterson
towards Wessington Springs
Wessington Springs La Crosse Perkins
towards La Crosse
Southern Minnesota Depot
Rushford station is located in Minnesota
Rushford station
Rushford station is located in the United States
Rushford station
LocationRushford, Minnesota
Coordinates43°48′25″N 91°45′19″W / 43.80694°N 91.75528°W / 43.80694; -91.75528
Built1867
ArchitectSouthern Minnesota Railroad
NRHP reference No.86001363
Added to NRHPJune 20, 1986

The Southern Minnesota Depot in Rushford, Minnesota, United States, is a historic railway station. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. [1]

Constructed in 1867 as a one-story building. The depot’s second level was added in 1868 as a residence for the depot agent’s family. The Rushford depot is thought to be the last two-story depot still standing in its original location on the Southern Minnesota Railroad line. The Southern Minnesota Railroad ran from La Crosse, Wisconsin, to Austin, Minnesota, prior to being bought out by the Milwaukee Railroad. The last passenger train stopped in Rushford in 1975 and the last freight train left town in 1980.[2]

When the railroad closed the line in 1980, the depot was used as storage for a local business.

The depot was purchased by the Rushford Area Historical Society (RAHS) for $10,000 in 1987. Restoration efforts began immediately through grant writing, fundraising, and volunteer help.[2]

In the early years the depot housed the local telegraph and post office and was a popular gathering place and communications center. RAHS restored the building to be a visitor’s center, museum, and genealogy research center. The museum showcases artifacts and stories from area people, organizations, and businesses.[3]

The railway bed adjacent to the depot became the Root River State Bike Trail in 1988 and the visitors' center provides local and regional travel information, restrooms, and a drinking fountain for those using the trail.[3]

References

  1. McKechnie, Mark R. (1985-08-16). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form: Southern Minnesota Depot" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved 2014-02-07.
  2. 1 2 Droivold, Alden O. (1986). History of Rushford: The First Decade (2nd ed.). Rushford, MN: Rushford Area Historical Society. pp. 228–230.
  3. 1 2 "Rushford History / Area History".

Media related to Rushford Historic Depot at Wikimedia Commons


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