Baraboo Depot Update

OVER the last two and a half months a lot has been happening at the depot. Hasheider Roofing of Prairie du Sac has finished putting a rubber membrane over the entire roof as a temporary fix which will last for years if necessary. The job included covering damaged areas of the roof decking with plywood and building a temporary drip edge along the south side so the rubber could be wrapped under the eaves. The Hasheider crew was not intimidated by the size and condition of the building.

Inside, natural light has penetrated all parts of the building for the first time in fifty years as some of the windows have been opened up. Some openings are being filled with temporary vinyl coverings and others with wooden louvered vents

Depot Donations

David Bauman

Susanne Christofersen

Tom Dorner in honor of Dorothy HewittDorner

John Ehlke

Carol Fleishauer

Robert Harmel

Bryant Hazard

Peter & Susan Heide

Mary Henry in memory of Leo Bronkalla

Linda Jenks

Susan Johnson in memory of Michael Johnson

Ralph Justen

John Landers

Lanman & Lanman LLC

Todd Liebman

Riverside Rentals

Bob & Gretchen Roltgen

Sheila Roznos in memory of W.A. Hayes

Mike & Shirley Schmeer

Mary Small

Norma Sophie

Dave & Denise Statz

Susan Ulrich

Paul & Judy Washam built by volunteer Phil Jauch. The vents will allow the building to dry out.

Now that the building has been weatherized the project moves into the planning phase for future full-scale restoration. A Historic Structures Report will be commissioned from an architectural firm. This detailed planning report will document the history of the building and changes made, assess the current condition of the building for restoration, and provide a guide for moving forward. Donations are needed for this phase of the project and can be sent to the Society or made online at the Society’s website.

Architects Frost & Granger

THE Baraboo depot and division office building was designed by Chicago-based architects Charles Frost (1856-1931) and Alfred Granger (1867-1939) in 1901. Both were college-trained architects and worked with other partners before joining forces in 1898. Family connections brought them together and brought them commissions as both men were married to daughters of Marvin Hughitt, the President of the Chicago and North Western Railroad (C&NW). Alfred Granger married Belle Hughitt in 1893 and Charles Frost married Mary Hughitt in 1897. The firm of Frost & Granger designed over 200 railroad-related buildings, many of them being passenger depots for C&NW. Most were small to mid-sized trackside depots like the one the firm designed for Reedsburg in 1905 but occasionally designs were needed for combination depot / office buildings like Baraboo’s. Another surviving example is the C&NW depot and office building in Green Bay which was constructed in 1898 and is today home to the Titletown Brewery.

Hasheider Roofing finished covering the roof of the depot with a rubber membrane in early January. The immense size of the building can be appreciated from this drone shot taken by Bill Johnsen who has been documenting the project from the air. The building is over 170 feet long and over 45 feet high on the north side.

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