HISTORY OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND THE HISTORIC DEPOT

The St. Louis Park Historical Society was founded in April 1971 by Marie Hartmann, a lifelong citizen of the Park. Its stated purpose was "the discovery, preservation, and dissemination of knowledge about the history of St. Louis Park, Minnesota." Marie was a dedicated and persistent collector of information, documents, and memorabilia that documented the history of the City. She led the Historical Society until her death in 1996. One of Marie's greatest achievements was saving the Milwaukee Road Depot from demolition.

Depot from behind, still on the tracks 1968

Built in 1887, Depot of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (a/k/a Milwaukee Road) was originally located right on the tracks, near the intersection of Wooddale and 36th Street on Alabama Avenue, a block east of Jorvig Park (then called Bandstand Park). It is said to be in the Eastlake style, named for Charles Lock Eastlake, an English architect and designer of furniture. Characteristics of Eastlake style are thin columns, exposed structural members, exterior surfaces are in panels, jigsaw and lathework as decorative details and ornamentation on gables porch posts etc.

By 1893 the Milwaukee Road provided two trains a day into Minneapolis with two return runs.

Jack A. Felber was the depot agent for the Milwaukee Road from 1925 to 1966. During the 1920s it was painted bright yellow with orange trim.

An SLP Sun article dated April 23, 1970, claims that in 1925 the Depot was named a part of the Yellowstone Trail from Chicago to Seattle [although we think the Yellowstone Trail was just for cars; see Automotive Milestones, 1912.]

The train carried passengers until 1955. Freight included farm products, scrap materials during war years, coal, and even caps and gowns for Park High graduation. 

Doug Johnson has written a detailed description of the function of the depot and its agent.

When the railroad discontinued freight service and closed the Depot in 1968 it threatened to tear the building down. Marie Hartmann headed a "Save the Depot" committee that got the building on the National Register of Historic Places on November 25, 1969. The Milwaukee Road donated the building to the City, and with the help of a Federal grant, the committee was instrumental in getting the depot moved to Jorvig Park in August 1970. Its new address is 6210 W. 37th Street. The building was given an emergency coat of paint in 1970.

The only furnishing in the relocated depot was an oil can. Marie and her group were successful in obtaining many artifacts, often from the Milwaukee Road. The potbellied stove was shipped in by the railroad from Denver.

On May 23 and 24, 1971, a crew of 28 off-duty firemen and policemen gave the depot a new coat of paint.


1971

The nascent Historical Society hosted a grand opening of the building, now at 6210 West 37th Street, on June 17, 1971. The building became the first Park property on the Register of National Historic Places, and is used exclusively by the St. Louis Park Historical Society. Artist Don Skoro and his family restored the depot's signs. Skoro also sketched the depot, and that sketch became the symbol of the Historical Society, prominent on stationery, membership card, the Re-Echo, and this web site.

In 1972, the Historical Society wanted a real railroad car installed on the property, but it was deemed infeasible.

In June 1973, volunteers from the police and fire departments repainted the depot.

Postcards from 1976 still available for sale

In 1991, the Historical Society planted a Colorado spruce in the park in memory of Veterans.

In 1998 the depot received another coat of paint. To show it off, the Historical Society held an open house on Saturday, October 24, 1998.

In 2008, the Depot was repainted on two sides.

A memoir about the Milwaukee Road Depot written by the daughter of Depot Agent Jack Felber is available in Something in the Water.

After Marie's death in 1996, the Historical Society had to regroup and the collection was moved to various locations until it was returned to the Depot. A new board was formed, and since then the Society has worked to care for and catalog the documents and pictures in the collection. Great strides were made in 2004 when the group rented space from Lenox Community Center and purchased new furniture in which to keep much of the collection. Materials pertaining strictly to the railroad, as well as other oversized or fragile materials, are retained at the Depot.

The Society held annual Ice Cream Socials at the Depot (see Celebrations), and is involved with many activities to preserve Park's past. One such project involves working with the State, City, and County to move the one remaining Roadside Park Beehive in St. Louis Park to a suitable location before further widening of Highway 100 obliterates "Lilac Park." The Society also provides information, pictures, and other services to residents and other interested parties. In particular, we provide information to the City's 7th Graders each fall as they study the past, present, and future of various places in the Park.




 

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.