Milwaukee Railroad Depot (Alberton, Montana) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alberton
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| Former Milwaukee Road passenger rail station | |||||||||||
Alberton station in August 2017.
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| Location | 701 Railroad Street, Alberton, Montana 59820 | ||||||||||
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| Rebuilt | 1908 | ||||||||||
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Milwaukee Railroad Depot
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 Location in Montana
Location in the United States
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| Location | 701 Railroad St Alberton, Montana |
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| Built | 1908 | ||||||||||
| Architect | Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad | ||||||||||
| Architectural style | Craftsman | ||||||||||
| MPS | Alberton MPS | ||||||||||
| NRHP reference No. | 96001603 | ||||||||||
| Added to NRHP | January 13, 1997 | ||||||||||
The Alberton Railroad Depot is a historic train station in Alberton, Montana. It was built in 1908 by a company called the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, also known as the Milwaukee Road. This happened when the railroad was building a huge new line all the way from Chicago, Illinois to Tacoma, Washington. The depot is a one-story building made of wood, and it's built in a special style called Craftsman.
Contents
What Was the Alberton Depot?
A Busy Hub for Trains
When the Milwaukee Road built its long train line across the country, they chose Alberton as an important stop. It was a "division point," meaning it was a key place for trains to stop and get ready for the next part of their journey.
Besides the main depot building, there were other important structures here. These included a roundhouse, which was a circular building for storing and working on locomotives. There was also a turntable, a rotating platform used to turn locomotives around. Plus, there were shops to repair the trains.
The depot quickly became the most important building in the center of Alberton. The railroad was the biggest employer in the town, meaning many people worked for the train company.
Changes Over Time
In the 1920s, the railroad made a big change. They decided to make their trains run on electricity instead of steam. When this happened, the roundhouse and turntable were no longer needed, so they were removed.
Later, in the 1980s, the Milwaukee Road train company faced financial problems and went out of business. The depot building was then sold to the Town of Alberton.
The Depot Today
Today, the Alberton Depot is no longer a train station. Instead, it is used as a community center for the town. It's a place where people can gather for events and activities.
Why Is It Special?
The Alberton Depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical site. It earned this honor because of its unique Craftsman style architecture. It's also important because it shows the history of the Milwaukee Road and how railroads helped Montana grow.
