A few weeks ago someone wrote to the list looking for a picture of a
CB&Q water tower. I've run across a postcard taken from the top of
either a grain elevator or from the town's water tower which shows a
good shot of the depot, CB&Q wooden water tower, and the windmill
that served it at Hildreth, Nebraska from around the turn of the
century.
Another interesting thing in this picture is the roof of the two
story depot. It has a ladder running up the side of the building
then up the pitch in the roof to the peak where there appears to be a
roof walk running the length of the building. I wasn't aware of that
being done but perhaps on these smaller secondary lines they needed
it to look up and down the track to see what was coming? I always
figured that was done by telegraph but come to think of it, I cannot
recall seeing any poles along this line over the past 35 years, which
is as far back as my memory of the area goes although of course they
could have been removed before my time. The tracks through Hildreth
were all pulled up within the past five or so years.
Though it has been moved to a different location, and the second
story removed long ago, the depot still exists although as a garage
in a backyard in town.
Anyone wanting to see the post card view may email me off list and
I'll send it to you.
-Todd-
T.L. Petersen
Minden, NE
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