Nestlé Chocolate Factory

Nestlé chocolate factory in Burlington, Wisconsin, on November 21, 2001

The Nestlé chocolate factory in Burlington, Wisconsin, was built in 1966, and after it was built Burlington received the nickname “Chocolate City, USA.”

Nestlé chocolate factory in Burlington, Wisconsin, on November 21, 2001

Cooperative Plus, Inc. Grain Elevator

Cooperative Plus, Inc. grain elevator in Burlington, Wisconsin, on November 21, 2001

This is the Cooperative Plus, Inc. grain elevator in Burlington, Wisconsin.

Cooperative Plus, Inc. grain elevator in Burlington, Wisconsin, on November 21, 2001

Cooperative Plus, Inc. was founded on April 20, 1937.

Cooperative Plus, Inc. grain elevator in Burlington, Wisconsin, on November 21, 2001

In 1944, Cooperative Plus, Inc. purchased the Farmers Feed and Fuel Company facilities in Burlington, which included a feed mill, feed warehouse, and a coal business.

Cooperative Plus, Inc. grain elevator in Burlington, Wisconsin, on November 21, 2001

At that time, the Burlington Co-op had 17 employees and an annual payroll of $35,000.

Cooperative Plus, Inc. grain elevator in Burlington, Wisconsin, on November 21, 2001

The Farmers Feed and Fuel Company had dated back to at least 1921.

Cooperative Plus, Inc. grain elevator in Burlington, Wisconsin, on November 21, 2001

Saint-Gobain Containers Glass Plant

Saint-Gobain Containers glass plant in Burlington, Wisconsin, on November 21, 2001

The Saint-Gobain Containers glass plant in Burlington, Wisconsin, was built in 1965 by the Foster-Forbes Glass Company of Marion, Indiana. This was the first glass factory in Wisconsin to produce glass bottles by machine.

Saint-Gobain Containers glass plant in Burlington, Wisconsin, on November 21, 2001

Foster-Forbes was founded in 1911 as Upland Flint Glass Company and became Foster-Forbes in 1929. In 1995, Saint-Gobain purchased both Foster-Forbes and the Ball Corporation, merging them to form Ball-Foster Glass Container Company. Ball-Foster Glass Container Company was renamed Saint-Gobain Containers in 2000.

Saint-Gobain Containers glass plant in Burlington, Wisconsin, on November 21, 2001

Murphy Brothers Feed Mill

Murphy Bros. Feed Mill in Burlington, Wisconsin, on November 21, 2001

In 1909, Chicago-area dairy farmers organized the Milk Producer's Co-Operative Marketing Company to get better prices for their milk. The organization spread through Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin, and in 1920 the Burlington, Wisconsin, chapter incorporated as the Badger Dairy Company, and built a dairy plant on this site.

Murphy Bros. Feed Mill in Burlington, Wisconsin, on November 21, 2001

In 1921 brothers James and Lawrence Murphy established the Murphy Brothers Company to manufacture and sell livestock feed. In 1925, they purchased the office and factory buildings of the Badger Dairy Company. The original factory was destroyed by fire in 1951 and a new Murphy Brothers Feed Mill was built, with various additions added over the years until 1972. The Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company of Milwaukee purchased Murphy Brothers in 1971, and was in turn purchased by the Stroh Brewing Company of Detroit in 1982. 

Murphy Bros. Feed Mill in Burlington, Wisconsin, on November 21, 2001

The former Murphy Brothers buildings were later purchased by Maple Leaf Farms of nearby Yorkville for use as a duck feed mill. In 1996, Purina Mills purchased the mill and restored it to full-scale feed operation following a $500,000 renovation. The former Murphy Brothers buildings were demolished in 2018 to make way for new development.

Echo Lake

Echo Lake Dam in Burlington, Wisconsin, on November 21, 2001

Echo Lake is an artificial lake in Burlington, Wisconsin, created by the 10-foot-high Echo Lake Dam where the White River from the south and Honey Creek from the north meet and flow into the Fox River.

Wisconsin Central railroad bridge over Echo Lake in Burlington, Wisconsin, on November 21, 2001

The Wisconsin Central rail line crosses the lake on this bridge near the middle of the lake.

Horn Feeds, Inc.

Horn Feeds, Inc. in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

This grain handling facility at 728 Clarendon Avenue in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, was built around the turn-of-the-century.

Horn Feeds, Inc. in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

The granary was originally operated by Buell & Goodman.

Horn Feeds, Inc. in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

It was built adjacent to the Wisconsin Central Railroad tracks, providing farmers with a method to ship their products to distant markets.

Horn Feeds, Inc. in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

Over the years, the facility was expanded to handle other material, such as with these tanks to handle a variety of fuel supplies.

Horn Feeds, Inc. in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

Additional newer tanks are at the northeast corner of the property.

Horn Feeds, Inc. in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

The grain handling operation has also been modernized over years, with newer buildings added alongside the historic wooden structure.

Horn Feeds, Inc. in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

These tall metal grain silos form the central part of the modern facility.

Horn Feeds, Inc. in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

Structures were added at various times, creating a disjointed appearance.

Horn Feeds, Inc. in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

This shed provides covered parking for grain trucks.

Horn Feeds, Inc. in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

This brick building is the public entrance to the business.

Horn Feeds, Inc. in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

This facility has been Horn Feeds, Inc. since 1978.

Horn Feeds, Inc. in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

This structure appears to be fuel-related, with a Mobil Pegasus sign and gas pumps outside.

Horn Feeds, Inc. in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

The fuel tanks at the northeast corner of the property are a fueling station.

Horn Feeds, Inc. Volvo FE6 in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

Based on the Volvo FL first introduced in the summer of 1985, the Volvo FE6 was introduced for North America in 1986. Usually powered by a Volvo TD63 6-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine, they were also available with a lower-priced 6.6-liter Caterpillar 3116. Also available was the FE7 model, with a larger 7-liter Volvo TD73 diesel engine for heavy-duty applications. The Volvo FE received a minor facelift for 1992, with the front turn signals moving to the corners of the bumper, and continued to be offered in North America through 1998.

Horn Feeds, Inc. in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

These small grain bins sat at the northeast corner of the property.

Brittingham & Hixon Lumber Co. Mukwonago Lumberyard

Brittingham & Hixon Lumber Company in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

The W.S. Heddles Lumber Company was established on this site at 616 Grand Avenue in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, in 1897. It was the third lumberyard to open in Mukwonago within 10 years. It was purchased by the Alexander Lumber Company of Chicago, Illinois in December 1924. Their first manager at this location was Peter Christisen.

Brittingham & Hixon Lumber Company in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

John Alexander was the youngest of the Alexander family who came to Wisconsin from Scotland in the 1870s. In the 1880s he was hired by the Stewart family of Wausau, Wisconsin, to open a lumberyard in Aurora, Illinois. In 1891, John Alexander opened his own lumberyard in Aurora, the Alexander Lumber Co., with the help of partners Tom Brittingham and Joe Hixon and a $5,000 loan from the Continental Illinois Bank of Chicago.

Brittingham & Hixon Lumber Company in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

The company continued to expand and by the 1920s Alexander operated more than 100 lumberyards. In 1929, he bought out his partners and acquired the Brittingham & Hixon lumberyards in Wisconsin, which he continued to operate using the Brittingham & Hixon name as a subsidiary.

Brittingham & Hixon Lumber Company in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

During the Great Depression, Alexander continued to expand by purchasing additional lumberyards. His son, John Alexander, Jr., was named president of the company in 1932, and starting in 1940 the day-to-day operations were managed by vice-president Otto Unteed. John Alexander, Sr. died in 1944 and his son assumed full control of the company.

Brittingham & Hixon Lumber Company in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

The Soo Line passenger train depot was located next to the lumberyard at 610 Grand Avenue. It was demolished after the Soo Line discontinued passenger service on the line in 1961, and the lumberyard appears to have expanded onto the former depot property.

Brittingham & Hixon Lumber Company in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

Following the retirement of Otto Unteed in 1966, control was passed on to the third generation as Walter Alexander became company president, a position he would hold for 45 years until his retirement in 2014. This lumberyard closed between May and September of 2008.

Mukwonago Railroad Bridges

Bridge over State Highway 83/South Rochester Street in Mukwonago, Wisconsin on November 20, 2001

The Wisconsin Central Railroad completed its line through Mukwonago, Wisconsin, between Chicago and Waukesha in 1885, and this trestle over Wisconsin State Highway 83/South Rochester Street was built in 1920. This bridge was the last known rail-related historical resource in Mukwonago when it was replaced by a through plate girder bridge by 2007.

Bridge over the Mukwonago River in Mukwonago, Wisconsin on November 20, 2001

Just south of the bridge over Wisconsin State Highway 83/South Rochester Street is a deck plate girder bridge over the Mukwonago River.

Railroad Bridges in Mukwonago, Wisconsin on November 20, 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. 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. On October 11, 1987, the Soo Line spun off the former Wisconsin Central line to the new independent Wisconsin Central, Ltd. The Wisconsin Central was purchased by the Canadian National Railway on October 9, 2001.

Mukwonago River Bridge Footings in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001

Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Waukesha Depot

Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

The Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Company was organized on May 15, 1880 to build a railroad between its two namesake Wisconsin cities, and this depot of local limestone and cream-colored brick was built in Waukesha, Wisconsin, in 1881. Designed by Chicago-area architect William Warren Boyington and constructed by local carpenter Samuel Dodd, the depot’s architecture has been described as Stick style, Queen Anne, and Victorian Gothic. The Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Company was consolidated into the Chicago, Milwaukee & North Western Railway Company on March 19, 1881. The first passenger train arrived from Madison on February 1, 1882. On June 7, 1883, The Chicago, Milwaukee & North Western Railway Company was consolidated into the Chicago & North Western Railway Company.

Williams Street Sign at the Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

The depot is located at 319 Williams Street in Waukesha. Although only one block long, Williams Street was an important focal point for business transportation and public accommodations from the 1880s and into the 20th century, as commercial travelers, tourists visiting the Springs Era resorts and spas, home seekers, and business entrepreneurs arrived in Waukesha at this depot, which served 16 trains a day at its peak. Other businesses on Williams Street that served railroad passengers included the Northwestern Hotel at 322 Williams Street, George Borchardt’s saloon at 328 Williams Street, and Stephen Platner’s Livery at 332 Williams Street.

Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

This depot also served as a terminal for the Waukesha Beach Railway, an electric interurban railroad which was formed on August 27, 1894 with $75,000 in capital. This six-mile railroad was built by C. E. Loss & Company of Chicago to the shore of Pewaukee Lake, where the railroad built the Waukesha Beach Amusement Park. The 20-acre park featured a swimming beach on the lake, the Palm Gardens Ballroom, a hotel, 3 roller coasters, a fun house and other amusement rides. The Waukesha Beach Railway began operating its first summer season on June 15, 1895, with the formal opening of the railroad and the park on June 25, 1895. The six-mile trip to the park took about 15 minutes, with scheduled trains every 40 minutes. The Waukesha Beach Railway was purchased by The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Company in August 1897. Originally intended for operation only during the summer season, the line was connected to the rest of The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Company system, and year-round service began on December 11, 1899. Operations of the Waukesha Beach Amusement Park ended on July 21, 1941, with the park and beach closing entirely in 1949.

Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

On October 14, 1948, President Harry S. Truman made a ten-minute speech at this depot in front of 10,000 people. The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Company ceased operations on July 2, 1951, and the last Chicago & North Western passenger train ran stopped in Waukesha on June 16, 1957. While freight service continued, the depot was vacated by the railroad in 1964 and remained empty until 1973, when it was purchased and converted into a railroad-themed restaurant by Edward Friend of Hubertus, Wisconsin, with a train of heavyweight passenger cars for restaurant patrons to dine in.

Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

These cars, lettered for the fictitious Waukesha & Western, were previously owned by the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad. The Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad was created on September 13, 1940, by the merger of the Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad, which was created in 1917 as a reorganization of the New Orleans, Mobile and Chicago Railroad, and the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, which was chartered in 1848. On August 10, 1972, the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad merged with the Illinois Central Railroad to form the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad. The name changed back to Illinois Central Railroad on February 29, 1988.

Coach-Observation #212 Prairieville at the Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

"Waukesha & Western" Coach-Observation #212 Prairieville was built by Pullman in 1927 as Mobile & Ohio #212, and it later became Gulf, Mobile & Ohio #212. This car was not built as an open-platform observation car; it appears one of the vestibules was cut away to create the open platform after the car was purchased for the restaurant.

Coach #217 "Bethesda" at the Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

"Waukesha & Western "Coach #217 Bethesda was previously Gulf, Mobile & Ohio #217, and was originally Mobile & Ohio #217. It may be from the same order as coach #212.

Coach #3096 at the Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

"Waukesha & Western" Coach #3096 was built by Pullman in 1923 as Chicago & Alton Railroad #325 Webster Groves, for the 1924 Alton Limited between Chicago and St. Louis. The Alton Limited was originally introduced in 1899, and two new 6-car consists were built for the 1924 train at a cost of 1 million dollars. The Chicago and Alton Railroad was created on October 10, 1862, in a reorganization of the St. Louis, Alton and Chicago Railroad, and could trace its history back to the Alton and Sangamon Railroad, which was chartered February 27, 1847. In 1931 the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad purchased the Chicago and Alton Railroad and renamed it The Alton Railroad Company, before eventually ceding the bankrupt Alton Railroad to the courts in 1942. The Alton was merged into the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad on May 31, 1947, and this car became Gulf, Mobile & Ohio #3096.

Coach #326 at the Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

"Waukesha & Western" Coach # 326 was previously Gulf, Mobile & Ohio #326, and was originally Mobile & Ohio #326.

Baggage Car #94 at the Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

The history of "Waukesha & Western" Baggage Car #94 is not documented, but it is presumably a former Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Baggage Car that may have been originally owned by the Mobile & Ohio.

Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

There was originally a steam locomotive at the head of the display train: Soo Line 4-6-0 #2645, built by Brooks Locomotive Works in 1900 as Wisconsin Central #247. Soo Line leased the Wisconsin Central in 1909. The last 4-6-0 in service on the Soo Line, it was retired in 1952 with over 1 million miles of service and was donated to the city of Waukesha on October 29, 1952, and placed on static display in Frame Park, where it would stay until it became part of the restaurant in 1972.

Wisconsin & Southern and Wisconsin Central Rail Lines at the Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

The Chicago & North Western abandoned its line from Waukesha to Cottage Grove in 1983. This left the tracks running past the depot as only a connection to the nearby former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific branch line from Milton Jct. through Waukesha, which had been purchased by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation on February 26, 1980, for $266.677. The operation of this line was leased to the Central Wisconsin Railroad Company on March 4, 1980. The Central Wisconsin Railroad filed for bankruptcy in December 1984, and in January 1985 the Chicago West Pullman Railroad’s Wisconsin & Calumet Railroad took over operations. In 1987 the Wisconsin River Rail Transit Commission assumed jurisdiction over the line. In 1988, plans were made for a new connection between the Wisconsin & Calumet’s former C&NW line and the Wisconsin Central’s former Soo Line track to allow most of the former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific track to be removed. This would require a curved track following a path that the steam locomotive was blocking. On September 20, 1988, the Waukesha City Council donated the steam locomotive to the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom, Wisconsin, where it arrived in July 1989 and remains today. This connection marks the southern end of the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad’s trackage rights over the Wisconsin Central. The Wisconsin & Southern Railroad acquired the Wisconsin & Calumet in August 1992, and the trackage rights over the Wisconsin Central are the only connection between the Wisconsin& Southern’s original lines in the north and the former Wisconsin & Calumet lines in the south.

Caboose at the Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

Also at the depot is a 28’ steel cupola caboose, built in 1941 as Illinois Central #9803. This caboose was built on an underframe from an Illinois Central gondola car, and features side doors used for collecting train orders while in motion.

Depot Barber Shop Sign at the Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

This caboose was the home of the Depot Barber Shop at 321 Williams Street. The barbershop was operated by Clarence “Butch” Mareno. At the age of 83 in 2001, he was one of the oldest barbers in Wisconsin, having been cutting hair in Waukesha for 66 years.

Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

There are also at least three freight cars at the depot, two along Williams Street with the caboose, and one more closer to the depot building. These cars have their sides covered with metal siding, hiding their original sides and making them difficult to identify, but they have stirrup steps near the middle where the doors would have been, suggesting they were insulated box cars or refrigerator cars, which would allow for their potential use as restaurant storage.

Freight Cars at the Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

The easternmost car along Williams Street appears to have ice hatches on the roof, indicating it was a refrigerator car. The running boards on the others suggest they were boxcars. The dreadnought steel ends on the cars are not covered with siding, suggesting these cars might have wood-sheathed sides. Wood-sheathed insulated boxcars would have been unusual, though they might have started out as refrigerator cars and had their ice hatches removed.

Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

The Depot was designated a Local Landmark in 1992. It was placed on the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places on October 24, 1994, and on the National Register of Historic Places on February 24, 1995.

The Waukesha Depot Restaurant Sign at the Milwaukee & Madison Railroad Depot in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on November 19, 2001

Known as the Waukesha Depot Restaurant through 2001, in 2002 it would be purchased by Tony Marquéz and converted into a Mexican restaurant called La Estacíon.