Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Depot (Moose Lake, Minnesota)
Encyclopedia
The Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie
Depot in Moose Lake, Minnesota
is a depot built in 1907 by the Soo Line Railroad. The building was one of the few buildings that survived the 1918 Cloquet Fire
, and it was used to provide shelter for those left homeless in the fires.
The railroad first built a depot in this location in 1873. The 1918 Cloquet Fire started on October 12, 1918, with a background of a hot, dry summer, followed by a fall with little rain. The fire started on a windy day when a spark, possibly thrown from a passing train, ignited nearby brush. Much of the area, from Sturgeon Lake
to Moose Lake, Cloquet
, and close to Duluth
, was devastated by the fire. 453 people were killed, and 52,000 homes were destroyed. The American Red Cross
housed the homeless in "fire shacks". The residents of Moose Lake decided to rebuild the community.
The depot now serves as the Depot and Fires of 1918 Museum that tells the stories of the tragedy and the heroism brought out by the fire. The museum is operated by the Moose Lake Area Historical Society.
The Soo Line tracks are now gone, replaced by a recreational trail, the Soo Line Trail.
Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad
The Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad was a Class I railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the Midwest U.S. Commonly known as the Soo Line after the phonetic spelling of Sault, it was merged with several other major CP subsidiaries on January 1, 1961 to form the...
Depot in Moose Lake, Minnesota
Moose Lake, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,239 people, 577 households, and 294 families residing in the city. The population density was 811.1 people per square mile . There were 628 housing units at an average density of 227.5 per square mile...
is a depot built in 1907 by the Soo Line Railroad. The building was one of the few buildings that survived the 1918 Cloquet Fire
1918 Cloquet Fire
The 1918 Cloquet fire was a massive fire in northern Minnesota in October, 1918 caused by sparks on the local railroads and dry conditions. The fire left much of western Carlton County devastated, mostly affecting Moose Lake, Cloquet, and Kettle River. Cloquet was hit the hardest by the fires...
, and it was used to provide shelter for those left homeless in the fires.
The railroad first built a depot in this location in 1873. The 1918 Cloquet Fire started on October 12, 1918, with a background of a hot, dry summer, followed by a fall with little rain. The fire started on a windy day when a spark, possibly thrown from a passing train, ignited nearby brush. Much of the area, from Sturgeon Lake
Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota
Sturgeon Lake is a city in Pine County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 439 at the 2010 census.Interstate 35, County Road 46, and County 61 are three of the main routes in the community.-Geography:...
to Moose Lake, Cloquet
Cloquet, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,201 people, 4,636 households, and 2,967 families residing in the city. The population density was 317.9 people per square mile . There were 4,805 housing units at an average density of 136.4 per square mile...
, and close to Duluth
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
, was devastated by the fire. 453 people were killed, and 52,000 homes were destroyed. The American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
housed the homeless in "fire shacks". The residents of Moose Lake decided to rebuild the community.
The depot now serves as the Depot and Fires of 1918 Museum that tells the stories of the tragedy and the heroism brought out by the fire. The museum is operated by the Moose Lake Area Historical Society.
The Soo Line tracks are now gone, replaced by a recreational trail, the Soo Line Trail.