Depot Proposal Gains Steam

A year ago, I wrote about a grassroots effort to save the historic Northfield Depot.  As I noted in my post from April 2010, I have a personal interest in seeing this project succeed because of my great-grandfather’s connection to the depot.  In June 1931, the 70-piece St. Cloud Municipal Boys’ Band, directed by G. Oliver Riggs, played a concert at the Northfield Depot on the way home from a trip to Des Moines. 

A cool photo from the the Save the Depot committee’s website.

The effort to relocate and renovate the depot, built in 1888, has gained steam over the past 12 months (if you’ll excuse the train pun).  Tonight, the Northfield City Council will consider a proposal to relocate the depot to a nearby site behind the Quarterback Club restaurant, where it could serve as a visitor center and a transit hub.  The Northfield News website has a story previewing the meeting, and northfield.org has a story about the meeting and the Save the Northfield Depot committee’s redesigned website and cool new logo.

If you are interested in the history of railroads in Northfield, you have until May 8 to check out an exhibit the Northfield Historical Society is hosting in partnership with the Save the Northfield Depot committee.

If you are interested in volunteering your time or donating money to the cause, check out the Save the Northfield Depot’s volunteer page.