Northern Pacific Depot
20 Pacific St., SW, Aitkin, MNThe Northern Pacific Depot in Aitkin is significant as a local landmark symbolizing the importance of the railroad in the growth and development of the community. Aitkin was founded shortly after the Northern Pacific Railroad constructed the initial rail line through Aitkin County in 1871. The small settlement quickly developed into the region's leading supply center for the extensive logging operations which accompanied the arrival of the railroad and, later, as the area's foremost agricultural service center. By 1900 Aitkin's population had swelled to nearly 2000. Increased business and agricultural activity and heightened awareness of Aitkin's prominent regional position resulted in community demand for improved rail facilities. Aitkin's citizens considered the old depot grossly inadequate to meet the ever-increasing passenger traffic generated in Aitkin. The construction of a new depot quickly became a matter of civic pride. The Northern Pacific Railroad delayed action for several years before succumbing to mounting pressure in 1915. The depot served the community's passenger transportation needs until the 1940s when passenger service was discontinued. The railroad's significant role in Aitkin's development has been recognized by the Aitkin County Historical Society which acquired the depot for museum purposes in 1972.
Local significance of the building:Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.