Hinckley station (Minnesota) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Northern Pacific Depot
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The Northern Pacific Depot from the east
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | Hinckley, Minnesota |
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| Built | 1895 |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000992 |
| Added to NRHP | May 7, 1973 |
The Northern Pacific Depot in Hinckley, Minnesota, is a special old building. It was once a busy train station. Today, it tells the story of a huge fire and how a town rebuilt itself. This wooden building was constructed in 1895. It replaced an earlier station that was destroyed by the Great Hinckley Fire.
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The Historic Hinckley Depot
This important train station, or depot, was built in 1895. It was made just one year after a terrible fire. The new depot used the same plans as the old one. It was first built by the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad. Later, in 1900, the Northern Pacific Railway took it over.
What Was Inside the Depot?
The depot was a busy place. It had separate waiting rooms for men and women. There was also a large room for freight, which means goods being shipped. A restaurant called the "Beanery" served food to travelers. The stationmaster, who managed the trains, lived with their family on the second floor.
A New Station After a Great Fire
The original Hinckley train station was destroyed on September 1, 1894. This happened during the Great Hinckley Fire. This massive forest fire burned a huge area, about 400 square miles (1,036 square kilometers). It also destroyed six towns. The new depot was a sign of hope and rebuilding for the community. Because of its history, the depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This means it is a very important historical building.
From Train Station to Museum
Passenger trains stopped coming to Hinckley on January 4, 1967. After that, the depot was no longer used as a train station. The trains that ran between the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) and Duluth were discontinued.
The Hinckley Fire Museum
Today, the old Northern Pacific Depot has a new life. It is now known as the Hinckley Fire Museum. The museum teaches visitors all about the Great Hinckley Fire. It explains how the fire started and how it affected the area. You can learn how the town of Hinckley was rebuilt. The museum also shows how the area changed from logging to farming after the fire.
