Tower station (Minnesota) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tower station |
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Duluth and Iron Range Railroad Company Passenger Station
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The former station from the northeast
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 404 Pine Street, Tower, Minnesota |
| Area | .75 acres (0.30 ha) |
| Built | 1916 |
| Built by | George Spurbeck |
| Architect | William H. Beyrer |
| NRHP reference No. | 13000380 |
| Added to NRHP | June 14, 2013 |
The Tower station, also known as the Tower Passenger Depot, is an old train station in Tower, Minnesota, USA. It's a special building because it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's important to the history of the country.
The station was built in 1916 by the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad. It served as a place where people could catch trains until 1951. Today, it's a museum called the Tower-Soudan Historical Society Center.
Contents
A Look Back: The Station's Story
The first railroad line reached Tower in 1884. It was built by the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad (D&IR). This was important because the Soudan Mine had just opened. Trains were needed to carry iron ore from the mine.
An early train station was built in Tower before 1886. It was mostly used for moving goods, even though maps showed it as a passenger station.
Building a New Station
Around 1908, the D&IR company started to encourage people to visit the Lake Vermilion area. The old station wasn't very good for travelers. It was mainly for freight and not in a great spot.
So, in February 1916, plans for a new passenger station were announced. Some people in Tower wanted it built in a more central spot. But their request was turned down.
The new station was designed by William H. Beyrer. George Spurbeck was the builder. It cost about $10,000 to build. Construction finished later in 1916. The first train arrived at the new station on November 25, 1916.
Trains Slow Down
In the 1930s and 1940s, more and more people started using cars. This meant fewer people traveled by train. Better roads made it easier for cars to reach places like Lake Vermillion. Car groups also did a better job of promoting tourism than the D&IR.
Because fewer people were riding trains, passenger service to the Tower station stopped in 1951. Freight service to Tower also ended in 1962 when the Soudan Mine closed.
From Station to Museum
In 1966, the D&IR company gave the old station to the City of Tower. Later, it opened as the Tower-Soudan Historical Society Center. This museum teaches visitors about the local history of the area.
The station was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 14, 2013. It was recognized for its important role in local tourism and transportation.
Design and What You'll See
The station building is made of wood. It's about one-and-a-half stories tall. It measures about 23.5 feet (7.2 m) wide and 62.5 feet (19.1 m) long. The outside walls are covered in two different materials. The bottom part has horizontal wooden boards called clapboard. The top part has stucco, which is a type of plaster.
The roof is low and has a complex hipped design. This means all sides slope downwards to the walls. The roof also hangs over the building by about 5 feet (1.5 m). Over time, the edges of the roof have started to sag a bit. So, six wooden posts were added to help hold them up.
On the front of the building, facing northwest, you'll see a sign. It has the word TOWER in big block letters. This sign is placed at the edge of the roof.
Trains on Display
Next to the station, along the old loading platform, you can still see a piece of railroad track. On this track, there's an old steam locomotive. It's called D&IR 218 (later DM&IR 1218). You can also see its tender (which carries fuel and water), two train cars, and a caboose.
In 2008, a canopy was built over the locomotive and one of the passenger cars. This helps protect them from the weather. In 2012, solar panels were added to the canopy. These panels create electricity for the train cars and the station building.
West of the locomotive, there's a monument from 1901. It's made of sheet metal and honors President William McKinley.
See also
