Depot History
by Mike Reilly, 4/28/03, updated 12/28/2005
The Depot history continues from 1976 to 2001.
C & NW Railway Station
(Taken from the Lake Mills Leader of April 8, 1976)
Area dailies have recently publicized the closing of Chicago and Northwestern Railway depots in the state. Among the 24 stations which may beeliminated is the depot in Lake Mills. Other nearby stations in this groupinclude those at Watertown and Juneau. The Public Service Commission ofWisconsin has given its approval to plans by the C&NW to close down certain stations. Chicago and Northwestern Railway contends that thedepots suggested for closing receive too little freight business to covermaintenance, and have indicated that closing them could save over $293,000.yearly. Word of the PSC approval of a close-down for 24 stations has come torailroad personnel as no great surprise. In January of 1975, a public hearingwas held in Madison before the Public Service Commission. At that time,customers and shippers were given an opportunity to voice their opinions eitherfor or against the C&NW request. Many customers at that time felt that therailroad would be downgrading service and discouraging business. Some alsocontended that the C&NW railroad would not be able to furnish a level ofservice to which customers have been accustomed without additional cost to theshipper. Naturally, each of the communities involved does not wish to lose its local agent.
For the full text content of the above article click http://www.lakemills.lib.wi.us/Old%20Homes/appendix_t.htm
1977/ March – “The Vanishing American Scene” – Thefollowing is an excerpt from this article: Chicago & North Western Sussexdepot abandoned May, 1976, now for sale. Building is approx. 25 x 75 feet inarea, constructed of wood with a central heated office which housed the ticketwindow and the depot agent. The east wing was formerly a waiting room forpassengers. The west wing was the express shipment warehouse. A unique featureof the red painted depot is its red stone slate roof.
It is presently used by the local sectionforeman, Larry Drahos, as a tool and supply warehouse. All fixtures andfurniture have been or will be removed from the premises before its finaldisposal.
The “For Sale” sign has a cardattached to it reading, “Call or write A. J. Tiesling, supervisor bridgeand building, Chicago & North Western Transportation Co., 608-249-7066, 1890E. Johnson St., Madison, WI. 53701.” The depot was abandoned because of thecentralization of the dispatching and repair functions that were formerlyoperated out of this depot. Drahos, a Sussex resident, will remain in the localarea for the present, operating out of a rail car on a side track. He will use arail mounted truck to get from place to place on the N.W.R.R. system. Sometimein the future, he will have to move or commute to Clyman, Wis., where the N.W.R.Rproposes to centralize the section foramen’s’ location. Source: SussexSun, Tuesday, March 22, 1977, page 13, Picture.
1977/ Apr. 26 – Six mile long grass fire on Northwesternrailroad right-of-way fought by local fire department. Another fire reported inMay 10, 1977 issue of Sussex Sun.
1977/ May – Country Store owners negotiate to buy and moveNorthwestern depot to rear of their Main St. address.
1978/ Mar. 28 – Two strings of about 40 cars and gondolas arestretched out for approx. 1/2 mile , just south of the main Northwesternrailroad track between Maple Ave. and Hwy J (today’s Hwy 164). They’ve beenstanding for several years; several minor box cars fires occurred, and they’vebeen deemed a “public nuisance” by the village of Sussex. Source:Sussex Sun page 2.
The Sussex depot was purchased by James and Lucille Henryand moved to its’ present Main St. address on May 8, 1978. It was remodeled andopened for retail rental in 1979. (Author’s note: BettyMindemann remembers the inside of the Depot as being “unfinished” or”rustic”. The paint now on the inside walls was first added by theHenry’s after moving it to its’ present location.)
“Old Sussex train depot opens soon“- In tearing apart the interior walls, Henry found bushels of coal, an old blueWestern Union telegraph sign, porcelain on both sides, and inter-depot messages,one of which warned of hoboes riding the rails. Source:Sussex Sun, December 26, 1978, pages 3-4.
“Peppermint Junction – baggage roomopens” – A two year old dream and a lot of work will be completed thisweekend. The old N.W.R.R depot becomes the “Peppermint Junction IceCream Parlor and Baggage Room“. A few finishing touches are necessaryand final inspections are necessary. James and Lucille Henry, owners of the CountryStore, moved the historic depot to a new site.
A special grand opening isscheduled for May 31 with the actual opened scheduled for Saturday, June 7. The PeppermintJunction Ice Cream Parlor will feature ice cream specialties, tea, coffeeand light lunches; while the Baggage Room will sell greeting cards, booksand paper items. Source: Sussex Sun, May 29, 1979,page 4.
1979/June 30 – Depot retail shops grand opening: Peppermint Junction IceCream Parlour, owned by the Mathev family, and Marie Deviller’s , BaggageRoom and Cards & Paper Goods stores. Source:Sussex Sun, June 17, 2003.
The Chicago and North Western Railway Company merged with theUnion Pacific Railroad Company in April 1995.