Editorial: Saving the Wells Depot is a happy story

Published 12:00 am Monday, May 15, 2006

There’s just no end to some of the good news going on lately. One fine example is the work the Wells Historical Society is doing at the Wells Depot.

Talk about a happy story. Here are four reasons:

A. The Wells Historical Society had all but disappeared as a group until they came together again to, well, you’ll have to read the next reason.

Email newsletter signup

B.

The railroad wanted to demolish the depot to build a maintenance building. The society found the

Iowa, Chicago & Eastern a different piece of land.

C. The IC&E &045;&160;owned by Cedar American Rail Holdings of Sioux Falls, S.D. &045; sold the depot to the Wells Historical Society for $1.

D. The group began planning its efforts to turn the building into a museum about Wells and in doing so raised more than $19,000. They sold calendars, food, quilts and other goods. They are working toward a goal of $80,000.

Now the next step in this happy story is the Minnesota Department of Transportation is expected to hand the Wells Historical Society a check for $240,000.

The money will be used to renovate the depot.

Saving our historic buildings is a sign of community pride. We’d like to congratulate the Wells Historical Society for bringing our readers a story that looks like it will have a happy ending.