Sometimes dumb luck, or in my case, a flat tire, can steer you to railroad history that is still alive. Case in point: Yesterday my wife, Cate, and I were traveling in our car along the Mississippi River. Near Red Wing, Minn., we both heard a loud pop, which I hoped was backfire from a passing truck. Unfortunately, our Ford Fusion had picked up a nail, and the left rear tire was sagging fast. I decided that changing a tire or waiting on AAA on the side of a busy road in the day of distracted drivers was less desirable than limping into town and hoping a tire store was close by.
Pulling onto the main drag in Red Wing, Cate had used her mobile phone to find a tire store just ahead. I pulled in, and guess what!? The store had closed the Saturday before and moved a block up the street. The young man there inflated the tire once more and I coaxed the car on to the new location. After placing the car in the hands of the good folks of Johnson Tire, I looked up and saw that it was smack next to a tiled two-story brick depot building that was now a Caribou Coffee.
With nothing better to do, I walked across the parking lot and to the coffee shop for a hazelnut latte and a dose of Chicago Great Western history. Turns out the depot was built in 1906, had last seen a train of by then the Chicago & North Western in 1976, and became a Hardee’s hamburger restaurant in 1980. The coffee shop came along in 2006. In the lobby are a CGW depot timeline and what appears to be a nicely polished locomotive bell.
My tire was soon replaced, and we were on our way. The next time you have a flat or are just visiting in Red Wing, have a cup and keep a little CGW history brewing.
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