Sunday, January 25, 2009

Day 25 > The Old Downtown Train Depot

The old train depot in downtown Green Bay on the edge of the Fox River is one of the more historic buildings left standing in the city. I know very little about it's history but can judge it's age by the stamp in the iron posts that support the roof over the passenger boarding area which reads Duncan Iron Works; GB WI 1898. Of course, due to changes in the way we travel today, this depot has not served rail passengers in many decades. When I was a child the railroad still used the building for office space but eventually they no longer had use for it and for a time (if memory serves) there where tentative plans to demolish it as has happened to so much of the city's historic buildings. Luckily, a young entrepreneur stepped in with a plan to renovate the interior of the building for use as a microbrewery and restaurant while retaining the exterior's original look. Today, The Titletown Brewing Co. is one of the major success stories in the revitalization of the downtown area.
My timing on this day could not have been better. As I left the car with camera gear in hand I heard the warning bells begin to chime on the street at the nearby railroad crossing indicating a train was approaching.

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