Minburn Depot

Single-story brick building with a dark roof and white-trim windows in snowy surroundings near industrial silos.

Minburn Depot

After receiving its last train over 50 years ago, the 1914 brick depot is expecting an exciting move and restoration. Soon the depot is scheduled to be carefully loaded up and moved across the street to its new home next to the Raccoon River Valley Trail. The building will then be restored back to its original condition and become a trailhead/cafe/local museum. The depot will also be placed on the National Register of Historic Places list.

Photos are available at: http://minburndepot.shutterfly.com

Depot Timeline

  • 1869
    Des Moines Valley Railroad lays track from Des Moines to Fort Dodge; Minburn is born

  • 1890's
    Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Railroad leases the line

  • 1906
    Minneapolis and St. Louis R.R. (M&StL) buys the line

  • 1914
    Original wood depot burns and is replaced with brick depot

  • September 9, 1917
    A train wreck occurs just outside of Minburn

  • April 19, 1959
    Final M&StL passenger train run

  • November 1, 1960
    Chicago & Northwester R.R. (C&NW) buys the line from M&StL for $20,929,000

  • 1961
    Last freight train received at the depot

  • April 25, 1995
    Union Pacific R.R. (UP) merges with C&NW

  • May 2004
    UP runs its last train on the line

  • September 3, 2004
    UP files with ICC for abandonment of the line

  • March 26, 2007
    Minburn Community Betterment Group (MCBG) is born and initiates Depot restoration

Single-story brick building with a dark roof and white-trim windows in snowy surroundings near industrial silos.