The following was posted on the Milwaukee Modelers list some time ago (sorry for not posting sooner.
Has there been an update on the status of the building?
Michael Seitz
Missoula MT
Posted by: "scrapmetalsoul2004" rowdyjunction@sbcglobal.net scrapmetalsoul2004
Tue Mar 24, 2009 10:00 pm (PDT)
Saving the Sturtevant Depot
I have attached a letter written by Eric Marcus, President of Preservation Racine, a local architectural preservation group with a long history of saving old buildings in Racine.
The letter contains more info on the Sturtevant depot and plans for saving it.
This letter will go out to the membership later this week. Preservation Racine is working to bring together groups and individuals who want to save the depot.
They also look like they are willing to contribute financial support.
They are looking at a few options. Contact Eric if you have ideas or any other form of support to offer. emarcus@wi.rr.com
If you contact the members of the Sturtevant Village Board, please be respectful. We need their support in order for anything good to happen.
Thank you!
Keith
From the President of Preservation Racine,
In the last Newsletter I wrote about the need to save the Miller House at 1110 South Main Street in Racine. While the search continues for an owner with the interest and capacity to restore it to its traditional beauty, another historic property is threatened with demolition. That property is the old train station in Sturtevant. This Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad station was used by Amtrak's Hiawatha service until 2006, when the current station opened. Amtrak passenger trains now stop at the new station, about one mile to the north.
CP Rail has announced their intention to demolish the old Sturtevant depot by June 1st 2009. They have offered it to interested groups who want to move it away, and they are willing to donate $8,500.00 toward the effort - their demolition cost.
The first railroad in what would become Sturtevant was built in 1855 and was named the Racine and Mississippi RR. It ran into financial difficulty and became the Western Union Railroad in 1866. The Western Union became part of the Milwaukee, and St. Paul in 1869.
The town of Western Union Junction (Sturtevant) began to develop in 1873 when a new mainline was built by the Milwaukee, and St. Paul RR. from Milwaukee to Chicago, and a major junction developed where it crossed the old Racine & Mississippi line that ran from Racine to Beloit and points west.
Western Union Junction became a village in 1901. In 1902, the Milwaukee Road built the train depot. This was no ordinary depot. It was specially designed for this location by the railroad's depot architect. A beautiful depot was built here to accommodate the new Corliss Engine Company factory business, its workers and the explosive growth that the company brought to the village (Western Union Junction even changed its name to Corliss). The ornate depot was also designed to compete with the new depots built the year before on State Street in Racine and on 17th Street at Racine Junction.
The depot was built with two waiting rooms to accommodate the passengers transferring from the Chicago-Milwaukee line to several trains headed east to Racine, west to the lakeside summer resorts in western Racine County, and to the southwest (eventually) as far as Kansas City. By 1912 over 65 trains stopped at the village. Corliss was renamed once more when the B.F. Sturtevant Company expanded here from the East Coast.
The Sturtevant depot is the only remaining Milwaukee Road station that has the corner turret. This large corner space allowed the dispatcher a full view of the tracks in all four directions. It is an architecturally as well as historically significant structure. It is the last example of an ornate wooden railroad depot in this area.
The Milwaukee Road went out of business in 1985 when the SOO Line bought the bankrupt railroad. In 1990 CP Rail took full control of the SOO. Today only two segments remain of the old Racine and Mississippi Railroad (the Milwaukee Road called this line their Southwestern Division). CP Rail, based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada still operates the line between Waxdale (SC Johnson Wax on the east end of Sturtevant) and Kansasville. While the Wisconsin Southern operates a section between Burlington and Beloit.
The Caledonia Historical Society is trying to find a way to save this significant piece of regional history. They believe it can be moved to their Lynwood Historical Park which is already the relocated home of the original Caledonia Town Hall.
The Preservation Racine Board of Directors has voted to recommend to the general membership that we offer $5,000 to move the train station to Lynwood Park, and another $5,000 for renovation after the move is completed. The general membership will be asked to vote on this at our April membership meeting. The Caledonia Historical Society is considering a contribution of as much as $15,000. With CP Rail's $8,500, that would bring the total potentially available to $28,500. But that is far short of what will be needed.
The business that moved the Caledonia Town Hall to Lynwood Park has offered to move the depot for $36,000. WE Energies charges an hourly fee to move power lines during the move, and a foundation will need to be laid. Total costs for the move could be $45,000 - $50,000.
What else can we do?
While the offer of the Caledonia Historical Society to accept the depot at its Lynwood Park site is more than generous – along with their leadership of this project – its historical context is clearly in Sturtevant. Keeping the depot in Sturtevant not only preserves this context but should also reduce costs.
Consider contacting Sturtevant Village Trustees to express your opinion on saving the depot. I am confident they respect the historical importance of the old depot and would be happy to find a solution that permits them to remain financially responsible as stewards of public money in a difficult economy.
Conditioned on using private contributions to move and restore the depot, perhaps they could be persuaded to find a site for its relocation within the Village of Sturtevant. Contacting the Village's leadership is especially important for our members who live in Sturtevant. We can also contact friends who live in the Village. Finally, the rest of us can take a moment to make a call or send an email to the Village Trustees to ask them to provide a site for the depot. Even an area in an existing park might work.
The Village trustees can be contacted as follows:
Village Board President
Steve Jansen - Phone: 886-9189 - jansens@sturtevant-wi.gov
Trustees
Chris Wright - Phone: 262-886-4590 - wrightc@sturtevant-wi.gov
Linda Busha - Phone: 262-886-9756 - bushal@sturtevant-wi.gov
Jerrold Klinkosh - Phone: 262-886-0908 - klinkoshj@sturtevant-wi.gov
Gary Johnson - Phone: 262-886-3389 - johnsong@sturtevant-wi.gov
Daryl Lynaugh - Phone: 262-886-5085 - lynaughd@sturtevant-wi.gov
John Johnson - Phone: 262-886-3151 - johnsonj@sturtevant-wi.gov
Of course, if you know of donors – contributing cash or services that would reduce the project's costs – please contact any of our Preservation Racine board members as soon as possible.
This is an opportunity for all of us to take action to save an important part of our history without even leaving homes. Please take a moment to take that action and know that you have played an important role in saving the depot.
As I always close these letters, to volunteer or let us know more about endangered buildings, please contact me at emarcus@wi.rr.com.
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