Franklin County, Nebraska

For Another Day

This is a plea for a picture. In all my Franklin County research, the above picture of the Bloomington Depot is the only one I have ever laid my eyes on. I have seen two references to the railroad at Bloomington.

In “Historical Highlights of Franklin County,” edited by Barbara Bonham in 1967, Bloomington historian Florence Muckel wrote: “The town (Bloomington) thrived steadily and the coming of the Burlington Railroad in 1879 was followed by the incorporation of the community as a village. Trustees were J. W. Deary, S. W. Switzer, Theo Bodien, Ulrich Koelmel, J. E. Chadwick and E. S. Kelly.

“For a time the railroad did not extend west of Bloomington, and it was during this period that the town served as the supply point for ten counties. Long trains of wagons often as many as two or three hundred freighters a day arrived at Bloomington and loaded at the warehouses. The horses and oxen that pulled the freighters were fed on the old Pugsley place, which later became known as the Tanquary Place.” (A story for another day)

In Florence Muckel’s “History of Bloomington,” written in 1971, she wrote: “Bloomington had four passenger trains, besides the freight trains a day, and besides the little puddle jumper that ran from Hastings, daily. Train No. 14 made very few stops between here and Kansas City. Twice a week the stockyards were full of stock to be shipped to market.

“There were also two grain elevators and a bucket shop. The Godsey house was just north of the depot and roomed and fed a lot of people. Once a year the Kansas City Boosters came by train and were met at the depot by the merchants and escorted uptown in grand style, band and all.

“Bill Rutledge met all the trains in his hack and carried the mail and dray freight.”

For more than 20 years I have been interested in recording our local history, and I have never read a history of Bloomington’s depot. But, I have a reason to believe there have been two different buildings. The 1905 Franklin County Atlas has the depot designated straight south of the road that leads past the Reams and Rutledge houses to the railroad track. The depot, as many people remember, was more to the east of this spot on the 1905 map. It is very odd to me, that there is not a picture in existence of this wooden structure. Many of you probably remember what it looked like, for it razing wasn’t until the early 1960’s. Like a friend told me, as we discussed it disappearance, “All of sudden it was gone, but we couldn’t remember when it happened.”

The depot was a brown red building trimmed in black. I’m going to visualize what it’s interior was like: the ticket agent office was in the middle of the floor. To the west, was the waiting room where the people waited on benches for the next train. To the east, was the baggage and shipping room. Outside, to the east, were the metal-wheeled carts to hold the freight and suitcases setting on the brick platform. The bricked area stretched around to the south of the depot where the train engineer waited for the message, “All aboard.”

Cream cans and freight were put in an area that would be put on aboard the train. The parking lot was to the east of the loading area. A cinder-covered mail road ran to the north of the depot. North of that road by the depot, up on the hill, was the section house and the water tower. Someone who, as a child, picked up the 12 cents fare off the kitchen table of his parents home and went for a ride on the Bloomington Zepher told this description of the depot, to me. Along the track today lays a few bricks to mark the site of this once active place. How many of you took the train out of Bloomington to parts known only to you? After experiencing a wonderful vacation trip, how many of you returned to this depot and stepped from the train on to the brick platform? Was someone waiting to welcome you home? Or did you walk all the way, from the depot to Bloomington on the sidewalk? Did anyone of you take a picture as you departed? I long to see what the train station looked like. Until I see a photo, I can only imagine it. Please call me with any memories you might have of the other depots of Franklin County.

“Tis the privilege of friendship to talk nonsense and have nonsense respected.”

Charles Lamb.

Rena Donovan, For Another Day.

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