| A CN local passes the former C&NW Neenah-Menasha depot on 25 Mar. '20. This depot, at 500 N. Commercial St., was opened on 2 October 1892, to replace the old depot which stood on the opposite side of Commercial St. The firm of Decker & Gindle had commenced construction in the Fall of 1891, as soon as W. E. Wheeler of Menasha finished excavating the basement. The depot was designed by Charles Sumner Frost in the Victorian Romanesque style, or the Romanesque Revival style, depending on which reference you choose to believe. It was built with Duck Creek stone, Bayfield brown stone, and St. Louis brick, protected by a roof of black slate with copper trim, at a cost of approximately $30,000. The railroad closed the depot in the 1980s, and it stood vacant until 1991, when it was purchased by G-Group, Inc. Restoration was completed in 1994, and it is currently home to Gries Architectural Group, Inc., and Sturtevant & Associates, LLC. While quite rusty, the metal C&NW sign still adorns the trackside gable above the arched window. Surprisingly, the mast and ladder for the train order board are still present, sans blades and lamp unfortunately. Many thanks to the late, great Larry Easton, from whom I obtained some of this valuable information. The border between the Twin Cities of Neenah and Menasha bisects the yard about 200 feet north of the depot, just out-of-frame to the right. |