1916 - 2016: Northern Pacific Depot
20 Pacific St, Aitkin MN
In 1871 the Northern Pacific Railroad had finally reached Aitkin, a lumber town sorely in need of goods and passenger transportation. It wasn't long before the citizens clamored for a more modern depot, with indoor plumbing and a covered place to sit. Aitkinites were not the only ones wanting a new depot. In 1910, a prominent businessman from New York, a Mr. Charles R. Flint, pushed Northern Pacific to build a new depot in Aitkin. It took a few more years, but in 1916 the depot that exists today was finally built. It was designed in the mission revival style and modeled after the depot in St Cloud MN. Today, the building houses the Aitkin County Historical Society's museum (click here to see it). Here is a January 4, 1910 article in the Aitkin Age newspaper about Mr. Flint's interest in Aitkin's depot that very likely got the ball rolling:
In cussing and discussion the railroad situation here the other day a prominent business man brought up the subject of depots and aurged (sic) that an agitation be started toward inducing the N. P. to build a passenger depot and office in keeping with the business done here. He argues that the present old wooden building is not only unsightly and uncomfortable for the public use, but is not suitable for the transaction of the business of the company. The express is not provided with adequate accommodations and the baggage all has to be wheeled through the crowd of passengers for the west bound trains. The state factory inspector requires business places where people are employed to be supplied with toilet conveniences and the N. P. people should be compelled to maintain toilets and make connection with the water and sewer. The old depot has done service for so many years that the officials seem to think it is good enough for all time, but the patrons of the road think differently, and the town is discredited by standing for such inadequate accommodations. Give us a new depot Mister N. P. and that will help some. Anything that helps the town helps the road. The better the towns are the more valuable an asset they are as a business proposition. |
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