Preston in Fillmore County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
The Milwaukee Road in Preston
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A Day on the Railroad
Photographed by McGhiever, October 5, 2025
1. The Milwaukee Road in Preston (marker obverse)
Returning from Caledonia, train #641 is steaming westward at Mabel toward its home terminal in Preston with Class 8 G engine #1022 (last steam engine scrapped by Milwaukee Road in 1956).
August, 1953
Photo by Cecil Cook
"The Last Highball and The End of the Line"
Four SW-1 engines leave Preston with final freight train to Isinours.
Wednesday, October 27, 1976
Photo by Fillmore County News Leader (Preston Republican, Nov. 4, 1976)
The Story
Preston - Dubuque and Illinois Division - Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, & Pacific
In 1870 the Southern Minnesota Railroad chose the Fountain hill at Isinours to connect La Crosse to Austin, bypassing Preston. Frustrated, Preston raised $20,000 toward a narrow gauge (3 ft.) line from Reno (on Mississippi River) through Caledonia, Spring Grove, Mabel, Canton and Harmony - reaching Preston in 1879. In 1901 the line converted to standard gauge (4 ft. 8.5 in.) allowing rail car interchange at Reno.
In 1903, a connection to the Milwaukee Road at Isinours was finally made (see DNR signs at turntable and depot sites at Isinours on Root River Trail). With the standard gauge conversion
this page online
A flood in 1947 destroyed the Reno to Caledonia section making Isinours-Preston-Caledonia a "branch." Preston functioned as the home terminal of the branch with round house, turntable, water tank and crew base. In the 1960's the dry milk plant in Preston became a major customer of the railroad, but in 1976 the branch was abandoned - the towns on the line had enjoyed continuous rail service for just under 98 years.
Preston Yard - Local Services and Businesses
Citizens and businesses depended on the railroad:
Railway Express and postal delivery plus passenger service (until 1945) and Western Union at the depot
Milwaukee Elevator (renamed C.L. Moore Elevator in 1917) and two other grain elevators
Coal, feed, lime and cement warehouses plus lumber delivery and stock yards
Machine and iron work shops and equipment, automobile, tractor and truck delivery ramp
Preston Oil Products (DX), Standard Oil,
Photographed by McGhiever, October 5, 2025
2. A Day on the Railroad (marker reverse)
City roller soybean mill and dry milk packaging plant
Preston Historical Society (PHS) - Restoration
In 2006, through the efforts of PHS, the Milwaukee Elevator was placed on the National Register of Historic Places as a classic "country grain elevator." It was the largest of three elevators in Preston with storage for 15,000 bushels and the ability to handle 1,000 bushels per hour with its still intact leg/lift conveyor. On the eat are hatch doors and chutes for rail car loading. A rib-side box car (1939), rib-side caboose (1951) - both Milwaukee Road built - and Fairmont "speeder" motorcar have been added and a restored elevator bagging shed/scale house/office and a motorcar trailer are planned: www.prestonmnhistory.com
Dedication of Restored Rib-side Caboose #02095
August 16, 2014
L to R: Jon DeVries, Charlie Sparks, Bob Storuzak (President of Milwaukee Road Historical Assn.-MRHA), Dick Petsch, State Representative Greg Davids
The Years
1868: Southern Minnesota line (later Milwaukee Road) reaches west to Lanesboro from La Crosse
1870: Grading complete between Lanesboro and Fountain and Preston bypassed on route to Austin
1879:
Photographed by McGhiever, October 5, 2025
3. The Milwaukee Road in Preston/A Day on the Railroad Marker (left) at the Preston Trailhead
1901: Track converted to standard gauge
1903: Connection from Preston to Isinours completed
1947: Reno to Caledonia section heavily damaged by flood and abandoned
1955: SW-1 diesel power arrives and three stall roundhouse converted to single stall engine house
1976: The end of train service to Preston and approaching last years of rail service in the Root River Valley
Photo of section crew from family of Rosalie Bjorkman
Source: Past and Present Minnesota Railroad Stations: https://www.west2k.com/mn.htm with thanks to Dan West
Photo of William Mullane (Engineer) from Helen Buche (Nelson)
Preston Engine House & Turntable
Standard Oil Terminal in background
Winter 1963
Preston Depot - Dry milk plant, St. Paul's Lutheran Church and Preston School in background
Winter 1963
SW-1 #975 being spun on turntable by engineer and firemen for daily trip to Isinours
Crew switches SW-1 into wayfreight track for car pickup (soybean mill in background)
Brakeman at switch and empty Savanna and Atlanta #7 boxcar pickup
Rib-side Caboose #01821 awaits at depot the departure of Train #422 to Isinours
Train #422 leaving Preston at brewery curve with five loads and empties
Along Root River
Isinours Yard Sign & lineman shed
Frieght cars from Preston spotted on east siding for pickup
Westbound Train #105 from La Crosse after leaving/picking up Preston branch cars
Train #105 departs and starts 450 foot elevation climb up Fountain Hill on way to Austin
West bound Train #405 returning to Preston with new carloads
Photos by Walter J. Dunlap (Winter scenes March 10, 1963 | Spring scenes April 13, 1963)
We remember these Milwaukee Road employees that served Preston:
Ronald Brevig (Section Foreman), Emil Dally (Engineer), Jay Galvin (Engineer), Rick Grebin (1st Man), Ben Hallisey (MOW Crew), Leonard Hallisey (MOW Crew), Henry Harm (Brakeman), Dennis Harvey (Brakeman), Flenni Hoff (Engineer), Henry Hopp (Engineer), C.M. House (Operator), Ira E. Kelsey (Conductor), Frank Knutson (1st Man), Peder J. Lande (Section Foreman), Gene Linden (Brakeman and Conductor), Robert Linden (Track Maintenance), Dale C. Montang (Fireman), Sam Maust (Engine Hostler), William Mullane (Engineer), Arthur R. Noel (Section Foreman), Bill Ott (Depot Agent), Emma Ott (Operator), Lester Ott (Station Helper), Michael Ott (Agent and Brakeman), Peter Ott (Depot Agent), Reuel P. Ott (Roundhouse Foreman), George Post (Fireman/Engineer), Al Rabine, Raymond Reese (Section Foreman), Roney P. Rommes (Fireman), Bill Shaw (Laborer), John Schnaufer (Engineer), Dick (Richard) Schultz (Section Crew), Jeff Thauwald (Laborer), Leo Thies (Fireman/Engineer), Russell E. Vischer (Assistant Depot Agent), David Wilson (Depot Agent)
We thank these kind donors and contributors:
Preston Historical Society (PHS) and Preston Area Community Foundation (PACF) funding
Mayor Kurt Reicks & City Administrator Joe Hoffman, City of Preston site/utilities; Cecil Cook, Walter J. Dunlap, John C. Luecke and Fillmore County News Leader pictures and maps; Milwaukee Road Historical Assn. (MRHA) heralds; Ron Schroeder, Quality Construction, Contractor; Kevin Ostern, Morem Electric sign & caboose lighting; Abbey Norby, Kelly Printing graphic design; John Carlin depot gables and Preston sign; Jon B. DeVries & Flossie Schultz rail research, and Sheila Craig, PHS President
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1879.
Location. 43° 40.237′ N, 92° 4.755′ W. Marker is in Preston, Minnesota, in Fillmore County. It can be reached from the intersection of Fillmore Street E. (County Road 12) and Center Street NE, on the left when traveling east. The marker is at the Preston Trailhead, at the south end of the motel. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 112 Center Street, Preston MN 55965, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Minnesota and in Greater Rochester. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, and in the Driftless Area Bluff Country. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Ruperts Land, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Heritage of Downtown Preston (here, next to this marker); Welcome to Preston: Area Attractions (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome to Preston (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Agriculture and Angling (about 300 feet away); Preston All-Wars Memorial (about 500 feet away); Preston Public Library (approx. 0.2 miles away); Jesse Potter Nehring (approx. 0.2 miles away); Preston Overlook (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Preston.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 26, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 26, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This page has been viewed 16 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 26, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
