| The south and west walls of the former SOO depot at Colby, WI on 22 Jun. '16. The depot was built by the WC in 1872 on the east side of the main line on the south side of W. Spence St. along S. 1st St. (Front St.). It originally measured 30' x 60' but a 24' addition was built in '13 making it 30' x 84'. Initially known as Station 51 (51 miles from Stevens Point), it and the small community growing up around it were renamed Colby, after Charles L. Colby, son of Gardner L. Colby, president of the Phillips and Colby Construction Co., the lead contractor for construction of the rail line. Some references claim it was named for Gardner L. Colby, by Charles, who was treasurer of Phillips and Colby. Charles was later vice-president, later president of the WC. The Clark Co. Historical Society purchased it from the railroad in 1971 and moved it in 1972. It is currently part of the Rural Arts Museum at the east end of W. Salter St. |