Aitkin station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Northern Pacific Depot
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Minnesota Show map of Minnesota Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	20 Pacific St., SW, Aitkin, Minnesota
Built	1916
Architectural style	Mission/Spanish Revival
MPS	Aitkin County MRA
NRHP reference No.	82002926
Added to NRHP	April 16, 1982

Aitkin station in Aitkin, Minnesota, United States, is a brick passenger depot built on the Northern Pacific Railway mainline in 1916. The rail line is now part of the BNSF Railway. The depot symbolizes the importance of the railroad in Aitkin's growth and development.

The railroad line was initially built in 1871. By the early 1900s, Aitkin was emerging as the region's leading supply center, and the old wood-framed depot was considered grossly inadequate. The railway started construction of the new brick depot in 1915. It was built in the Mission Revival style with cut-stone trimmings and a German tile roof. Passenger traffic ended in the 1960s. The station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 as the Northern Pacific Depot.

The building is now occupied by the Aitkin County Historical Society as the Depot Museum. Exhibits focus on the heritage of Aitkin County, including riverboating on the upper Mississippi, Native American culture and immigrant pioneers.