Biscay Depot History
The depot was believed to be built around late 1900 or early
1901. The town of Biscay, Minnesota had been established
in 1899, 13 years after the Milwaukee Road built through
the neighborhood on their 15 mile extension of a rail line
from Glencoe to Hutchinson.
At one time, as many as six or more passenger
trains traveled the line from Hutchinson to Glencoe, where
passengers could switch to trains headed to the West Coast
or the Twin Cities and Chicago. At the time, the train was
the only reliable source of transportation.
The Milwaukee abandoned the line in early 1957,
and around 1959 the depot was moved from Biscay to Glencoe
by Lester Vorlicek, who purchased the depot to use as a warehouse
for his electrical business.
The Vorlicek children found the depot a great
place to play, except they wouldn't go near it at first after
dark. They had heard that someone committed suicide in there,
hence, they were scared to go in.
The incident referred to likely took place in
August 1906 when it was reported that a 71 year old man, father
of a Milwaukee Road worker in Hutchinson, hanged himself in
the waiting room of the Biscay depot.
The depot was acquired by the Nowthen Historical
Power Association in the fall of 2001, and was moved to a
temporary site at the Nowthen Threshing Show grounds on November
23, 2001. The depot was then moved to its permanent location
along the railroad tracks on June 29, 2002.
A new roof was recently completed, but extensive
restorative work is still to come for the depot. During the
summer of 2003 the depot received a new face lift, a marvelous
paint job was completed to the outside of the building along
with all new windows were installed.
Also during the summer of 2003 a member of the
local community, Terry Grace, donated many railroad depot
items which will assist Nowthen Historical Power Association
in restoring the inside of the depot. If you are interested
in contributing to this effort, there is a donation box in
the depot.
If you would like further information, please
contact Dan Wilhelm at 763-295-2600.
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