Slinger Depot

Slinger Depot on November 19, 2001

The LaCrosse & Milwaukee Railroad was completed to Schleisingerville on August 23, 1855. It was merged into the Milwaukee & St. Paul in 1867, which subsequently merged with the Chicago & Pacific Railroad in 1874 to become the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway (also known as The Milwaukee Road). The Wisconsin Central Railroad reached Schleisingerville in 1882, crossing the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, but rather than a diamond crossing, the two railroads actually share the same track for a few hundred feet south of the Slinger depot, before separating again and running parallel to each other for several miles. 

Slinger Depot on November 19, 2001

The Wisconsin Central Railroad was reorganized as the Wisconsin Central Railway in 1897 and was leased in 1909 by the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railway, which itself was controlled by the Canadian Pacific Railway. This depot was built by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul around 1911 and it served both the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul and the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie. The previous depot was moved to become a residence at 121 Storck Street, where it remains today.

Slinger Depot on November 19, 2001

On September 1, 1944, the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railway was reorganized as the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railroad. The Wisconsin Central Railroad entered receivership in 1932, declared bankruptcy in 1944, and was reorganized as the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company in 1954. On January 1, 1961, the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railroad and the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company were merged with the Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railroad to form the Soo Line Railroad. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway was reorganized in 1928 as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad, and after declaring bankruptcy in 1977, the line through Slinger was taken over by the new Wisconsin & Southern Railroad in 1980.

Sign on the Slinger Depot on November 19, 2001

In 1986, the depot was purchased by E.H. Wolf & Sons, Inc. and was restored for use as the company’s new headquarters as it moved from Ackerville to Slinger. It was also relocated slightly to 414 Kettle Moraine Drive South; though it is near its original location, it has been rotated about 90 degrees to face Kettle Moraine Drive South rather than the tracks. On October 11, 1987, the Soo Line spun off the former Wisconsin Central line to the new independent Wisconsin Central, Ltd. Since August 1992, the Wisconsin & Southern has had trackage rights over the Wisconsin Central from Slinger south to Waukesha. The Wisconsin Central was purchased by Canadian National Railway on October 9, 2001.