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Historic Depot returns to Stanhope next Wednesday

-Photo courtesy of Stanhope Depot
The historic Stanhope Depot, which currently sits one mile north of town, will “return home” on June 14.

STANHOPE — Since 1882, one year before Stanhope was incorporated, the Stanhope Depot has had quite a journey. It had stood right off of old Highway 60 — now Highway 17 — for a century. In the early 1980s, the venerable building was in danger of being torn down to make way for expansion from the local cooperative.

That was, until the Varlen and Fern Carlson family successfully saved the building and moved it to their farm, located one mile north of town. Over the past four decades, the family had maintained the building as part of the Country Relics Little Village.

Since 2021, there has been a movement to “Bring the Depot Home” — immortalized by a t-shirt made by Stanhope State University.

Finally, after two years of planning and fundraising, the symbol of Stanhope’s past life as a railroad town will finally return home.

Announced on Wednesday afternoon by Rick Young, Hamilton County supervisor, the Stanhope Depot will make the one mile journey from the Carlson farm at 3290 Briggs Woods Road (Highway 17) to its once and future home at the Stanhope City Park, located right off of Iowa St.

The transfer will start at 9 a.m. and the historic building will arrive at 10 a.m. Young also invited the public to see the move happen.

“(The Depot) now returns with great fanfare to its home,” said Young.

According to Young, the Stanhope Depot will be converted into a museum and learning center. When complete, it will resemble the depot located at Laurel Park in Gowrie.

The creation of the trench for the foundation was crafted on May 18, before the concrete footing was put down on May 22. The block laying for the cornerstone was next, occurring on May 28.

This past weekend, volunteers came out to the old site to pick up and stack bricks. The final piece of the puzzle came from the Clear Lake Sailors 4-H club, which helped clean up and move several mannequins from inside of the building.

While the move may be complete next week and in time for Stanhope’s Watermelon Day celebration on July 16, there is still plenty of work to be done.

To help out, financially or with the renovation project, you can visit the “Stanhope Depot” page on Facebook.

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