(rshsdepot) Linden, IN

[I95BERNIEW_@_aol.com]

From The Paper.
 
Bernie Wagenblast
 
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Depot plans centennial year

By CHRIS BENNER

In  1852 the Michigan City, Salem, and New Albany (later Monon) Railroad cut 
through  Montgomery County. The old stage road between Crawfordsville and 
Linden was  given to the railroad as an inducement to get them to pass through 
Linden. 1852  also saw the first Linden depot being built behind the present day 
Post  Office.

In 1881 the Toledo, St. Louis, and Western Railroad was built  crossing the 
Monon at the site of the current day depot. It was known as the  Clover Leaf 
until 1922 when it became the Nickel Plate Railroad.

When the  crossing or junction was created in 1881 the Monon moved its depot 
to the site  of the junction. The old depot stood until 1907 when it burnt to 
the ground. The  existing depot was built on this spot as a "junction" depot 
and the agreement to  share the facilities was signed in October of 1907. 
Because of the late date,  the Linden-Madison Township Historical Society, which 
now owns the depot,  considers 1908 to be the first full year of operation and 
decided to celebrate  the year 2008, as its centennial year.

The Society is working to make  2008 a special year of operation as a museum. 
Most of the work to showcase the  Linden Railroad Museum is occurring to the 
outside of the building. One of the  original diamond crossings used at the 
site has been placed in the "yard" and a  brick plaza is being placed around it. 
Etched bricks are being sold and the  bricks will display names and memorials 
of people wishing to support the depot  or have loved ones remembered. 
Additionally, new storm windows are replacing the  old plastic window coverings now 
on the windows. These windows, thanks to a  grant from Tipmont REMC, will 
greatly improve the lighting and visibility on the  inside while improving the 
building's appearance on the outside.

While  the Society hopes to make the entire year special, their annual Open 
House will  be the highlight of the year. While the date hasn't been set for 
this, it will  be in July of 2008 and will be well publicized. Those who have 
attended the  museum's previous open houses know what fun they are. The goal is 
to make this  one a special memory.

The museum houses both memorabilia for the train  and history buff and some 
neat railroad model layouts for those who model and  those who are young at 
heart. Much of the memorabilia on display is of Monon or  Nickel Plate origin but 
many donators of railroad artifacts just want their  pieces of family 
railroad history to have a chance to be preserved and shared  with the public.

The Depot building represents an important part of  Linden's heritage and was 
central to the town's existence for much of its early  years. Passenger 
service ran until 1957 on the Nickel Plate and until 1964 on  the Monon Railroad. 
In 1954 more than 13,000 freight cars were exchanged between  the two lines at 
the Linden Depot. The memories of the citizens of Linden of the  importance of 
the Depot to the town and their desire not lose this symbol became  the 
driving force behind the establishment of the Linden-Madison Township  Historical 
Society.

One of the first accomplishments of the Society was  to have the depot listed 
on the National Register of Historical Sites. It seemed  only natural to the 
group that once they began restoration of the building that  they offer the 
display of it to the public in the form of a museum. A great deal  of time and 
effort has been donated to establishing the depot as a museum. The  donations 
they, and many local organizations and businesses, make have been a  mainstay 
in the Society's success. The Society is a non-profit organization and  its 
board is strictly voluntary with no payment except the satisfaction they  gain 
from their part in preserving history. They all look forward to sharing the  
significance of their centennial year with the public.

The Museum is open  to the general public from May through September. Its 
hours during this time are  1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It 
is closed on Mother's Day  and Father's Day because of staffing problems. Cost 
of admission is $2 for  adults, $1 for ages 13 to 18, $.50 for ages 6 to 12 
and those under 6 are free.  Off season and special visitations and tours can 
usually be set up by calling  the Society's President, Chris Benner, at 
339-4833. The Society waives its fees  for school groups, daycare, scouts, etc. if 
they pre-schedule their  visit.

The Linden Depot is a member of the Montgomery County Heritage  Alliance, a 
coalition of organizations dedicated to protecting, preserving and  promoting 
the cultural heritage of Montgomery  County.




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