Built in 1875, the Minnehaha Depot's location was once in the countryside. In fact, it stood on the first rail line west of the Mississippi connecting Minneapolis to Chicago.
The city of Minneapolis "grew up" around the Depot, and for a time, provided services to weekenders who wanted to picnic, fish, swim and visit the Longfellow Zoo.
It's extremely small size belies the level of traffic it handled.
The tiny depot measures 22 feet x 20 feet with a 75-foot platform. It was given the nickname "Princess" by railway men because of its delicate gingerbread canopy.
Soldiers from the Spanish-American War, WWI, WWII and the Korean War were inducted into the Army at nearby Fort Snelling, then left for service on the neighboring, now-decommissioned tracks.
The depot served passengers until 1920, then operated as a freight station until 1963 when it was closed.
On the opposite side of the treeline, is a Light Rail station. Echoing above the silence of these tracks and depot is what became of the rail industry after over a century of advancements. It was an odd feeling to bear witness to two different eras of the same mode of transportation.
Today the depot houses old telegraph equipment, a coal-fired stove and other remnants from its past. The Minnesota Transportation Museum restored it to its 1890s appearance.
More information can be found here.
Located at Minnehaha Park 55 and Minnehaha Parkway
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