Cudahy Historical Society Depot

The depot was built in 1892 by the Chicago & Northwestern Railway. Most of the station was used for freight with a smaller ticket window and waiting area. The depot served the community, formerly known as Buckhorn, especially after John and Patrick Cudahy bought 700 acres and built a meat packing plant. The growth of the business required an influx of workers, many immigrants who arrived through this very station.
Patrick Cudahy owned the land and allowed the C&NW to build the depot but maintained interest in the land. The C&NW ended passenger service to Cudahy in 1940 although freight service continued.
When freight service was discontinued, the depot fell into disuse and disrepair. It was doomed to the wrecking ball in 1971, but the Cudahy Historical Society was founded in 1972 with the express purpose of saving the depot. A successful petition forced the city rescind the condemnation order.
The Cudahy Family passed the depot and the land to the Cudahy Historical Society. In 1983, it was declared a county landmark. In 1989, a generous grant from the Patrick and Anna Cudahy Foundation was used to restore the depot with labor provided by volunteer members of the historical society.
The depot is a museum now. It is open the last Saturday of the month, April through October.
I’m only giving it three stars for now, because I’ve not seen the inside. The outside is certainly impressive, and this is a great example of an extant structure, once common but now seldom seen.