Flambeau Trail – The Mercer Depot
Iron County Heritage Area
Mercer’s early pioneers, with all their worldly goods, soon arrived here by boxcar. They built sawmills, blacksmith shops, and homes. They changed the logging settlement into a community.
The Mercer depot, built in 1905, is the only remaining railroad depot in Iron County. This unique wooden structure speaks of a simpler time when the sound of the steam engine whistles summoned the town to action.
A train brought family, friends, and supplies. Tourists, eager to experience a northwoods getaway, arrived from the cities. Together with freight bound for logging camps, they were loaded into horse drawn carts called “drays” and taxied to outlying resorts. Townsfolk hurried to board the morning train bound for Hurley and Ironwood for a day of shopping, to return on the afternoon southbound. The postmaster pushed his handcart to the station to collect the morning mail that carried news from afar.
For many years this little depot was the heart of the community. In 1982, the last train came
this page online
The Mercer Depot has been restored to turn-of-the century quaintness. It houses a delightful collection of railroad and northwoods memorabilia and the Mercer Historic Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1889.
Location. 46° 9.991′ N, 90° 3.759′ W. Marker is in Mercer, Wisconsin, in Iron County. Marker is at the intersection of Railroad Street and Lakeview Avenue, on the right when traveling north on Railroad Street. Located at the Mercer Depot Historical Museum. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mercer WI 54547, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Flambeau Trail – Turtle Portage (approx. ¾ mile away); Flambeau Trail – Manitowish (approx. 3.4 miles away); Flambeau Trail – Two Ways to Go (approx. 4.8 miles away); Roddis Line – Lake of the Falls (approx. 4.8 miles away); Flambeau Trail – Continental Divide (approx. 5.9 miles away); The Rest Lake Dam Story (approx. 8.7 miles away); River Rats & Peavey Men (approx. 8.7 miles away); Pinery Road - The Legend (approx. 9.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mercer.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on July 27, 2011, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 604 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 27, 2011, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
