Geraldine Milwaukee Depot
Encyclopedia
The Geraldine Milwaukee Depot was built by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
(otherwise known as The Milwaukee Road) in 1914. The depot is a rectangular one-story wood frame building built in the Craftsman style.
After the completion of The Milwaukee Road's transcontinental extension across the northern tier of states from Chicago, Illinois to Tacoma, Washington
on 1909, it began to build branch lines in order to bring in more business and open new markets. In 1913-14, The Milwaukee Road built the North Montana Line from Harlowton, Montana
to Great Falls, Montana
. New agricultural lands and settlements followed the branch line. Settlers homesteaded around Geraldine, a station named after the wife of railroad financier, William G. Rockefeller.
The depot at Geraldine served the local farms and daily freight and passenger trains stopped there. After World War II, rail traffic declined and passenger served ended in 1955. In 1980 The Milwaukee Road went bankrupt and ceased service to the Pacific Northwest. The North Montana Line was bought by the Burlington Northern Railroad
. The rail line was closed due to a landslide in 1982. In 1985, Central Montana Rail
bought the line and restored rail service. It sold the depot to the Geraldine Historical Committee in 1995.
The depot was listed in the National Register of Historic Places
because of its architecture and its historical significance as one of the last Milwaukee Road depots along the North Montana Line.
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until its merger into the Soo Line Railroad on January 1, 1986. The company went through several official names...
(otherwise known as The Milwaukee Road) in 1914. The depot is a rectangular one-story wood frame building built in the Craftsman style.
After the completion of The Milwaukee Road's transcontinental extension across the northern tier of states from Chicago, Illinois to Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
on 1909, it began to build branch lines in order to bring in more business and open new markets. In 1913-14, The Milwaukee Road built the North Montana Line from Harlowton, Montana
Harlowton, Montana
Harlowton is a city in and the county seat of Wheatland County, Montana, United States. The population was 1,062 at the 2000 census. The city was once the eastern terminus of electric operations of the Milwaukee Road railroad's "Pacific Extension" route, which went all the way to Avery, Idaho. ...
to Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 58,505 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County...
. New agricultural lands and settlements followed the branch line. Settlers homesteaded around Geraldine, a station named after the wife of railroad financier, William G. Rockefeller.
The depot at Geraldine served the local farms and daily freight and passenger trains stopped there. After World War II, rail traffic declined and passenger served ended in 1955. In 1980 The Milwaukee Road went bankrupt and ceased service to the Pacific Northwest. The North Montana Line was bought by the Burlington Northern Railroad
Burlington Northern Railroad
The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1996....
. The rail line was closed due to a landslide in 1982. In 1985, Central Montana Rail
Central Montana Rail
Central Montana Rail, Inc. is a short line railroad operating trackage in Judith Basin, Fergus, and Chouteau Counties, Montana. The company's main line extends approximately , between the towns of Moccasin and Geraldine; the line connects with the BNSF Railway at Moccasin.Most of the current...
bought the line and restored rail service. It sold the depot to the Geraldine Historical Committee in 1995.
The depot was listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
because of its architecture and its historical significance as one of the last Milwaukee Road depots along the North Montana Line.