PHOTO OF THE DAY: SATURDAY LOOK BACK

This is a great look back at one of Freeman’s most iconic lost buildings — the depot. It was constructed after the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway Company extended its line through southeastern Dakota Territory in the late 1870s and established a series of stops every eight miles. That included Marion, Freeman and Menno in 1879, which led directly to the development of those towns. Rail service continued in Freeman for the next 100 years and the depot was removed a number of years after that. The distinctive structure stood at the northern end of Freeman’s business district and faced to the northeast. Railway Street serves as a reminder of how the railroad impacted the layout of the community.