Tower Train Museum
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Duluth and Iron Range Railroad Company Passenger Station
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Station (left) and train on display
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| Location | 404 Pine Street Tower, Minnesota |
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| Coordinates | 47°48′16″N 92°16′45″W / 47.80442°N 92.2791°WCoordinates: 47°48′16″N 92°16′45″W / 47.80442°N 92.2791°W |
| Area | 3⁄4 acre (0.30 ha) |
| Built | 1916 |
| Architect | William H. Beyrer |
| NRHP Reference # | 13000380 |
| Added to NRHP | June 14, 2013 |
The Duluth and Iron Range Railroad Company Passenger Station, often called the Tower Passenger Depot, is a former passenger railroad depot in Tower, Minnesota, that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1916 by the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad, it provided passenger train service until 1951. It currently[update] operates as the Tower-Soudan Historical Society Center museum.
The first railroad line to Tower was built by the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad (D&IR) and completed in 1884. The Soudan Mine had opened the previous year, necessitating the construction of a rail line to transport ore. The first railroad depot in Tower was then built sometime before 1886; while shown on maps as a passenger depot, it was effectively a freight depot.
Beginning about 1908, D&IR began heavily promoting tourism in the Lake Vermilion area. The depot's freight-oriented design and poor location for travelers spurred the construction of a new passenger station, which was announced in February 1916. Residents of eastern Tower protested its planned western site in favor of a more central location, but the request was rejected. The passenger depot was designed by William H. Beyrer and built by contractor George Spurbeck at a cost of $10,000. Construction finished later in 1916 and the first train arrived the morning of November 25, 1916.
In the 1930s and 1940s, train travel began to decline in favor of the automobile. Increased automobile ownership and improved roads opened up tourism throughout the state, lessening the special position of Lake Vermillion. Automobile associations were also able to promote tourism more successfully than D&IR. Passenger service to the Tower depot discontinued in 1951 because of reduced ridership, and freight service to Tower ceased in 1962 with the closing of the Soudan Mine. D&IR donated the depot in 1966 to the City of Tower. It later opened as the Tower-Soudan Historical Society Center, a museum of local history. The station was nominated for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A for its significance in tourism and transportation; it was listed on June 14, 2013.
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