OLMSTED COUNTY

Chester (Winona & St. Peter) - This small passenger shed replaced a larger, earlier station. The original location was on the west side of Chester Avenue SE (county Road 119) on the south side of the tracks. The name was changed from "Chester" to "Haverhill" in 1914 to avoid confusion between "Chester" and "Rochester," even though it is south of Haverhill Township in Marion Township.

Rochester (Winona & Western) - The Winona & Western Railway depot was originally located on the south side of College Street (now 4th Street SE) on the east side of the tracks by the Zumbro River (GPS: 44.019023, -92.461369). It's second location was at 21 2nd Street SE (on the north side of 2nd Street SE, formerly Zumbro Street) (GPS:44.021925, -92.461947). The Chicago Great Western Railroad bought the Winona & Western Railway in 1901. In January of 1903, the depot was cut in two and moved across the river. The Sanborn map from 1904 however shows a very small station on the north side of 2nd Street SE and no station on the south side of College Street. Next to the illustration of the small station is the note, "to have new depot." The 1909 map shows the small station gone and the existing station now in its place. It was moved to its current location on 4th Street SE in 1993. Cindy Scott of the History Center of Olmsted County describes it's lifecycle like this: "In 1899, Winona & Southwestern Railroad constructed a wood-frame depot and freight house at the intersection of [now] 1st Ave. and 2nd St. SE. Two years later the line was sold to Chicago Great Western RR who moved the building north across the river in 1903 by cutting it in two, placing each half on a flat rail car, and reassembling it at 19 2nd St. SE. The book "Chicago Great Western: Depots Along The Cornbelt Route" (2004) say that the station was "Ccut in half and moved uptown in 1903, the waiting room was placed on the north side of Second Street and the freight room on the south side. This proved impractical due to the small size of the waiting room so the freight room was moved across the street and the depot was remodeled in 1904." In 1949, the structure was remodeled to serve as a terminal for Jefferson Bus Lines as well. The last passengers train left the depot in 1950 but Jefferson remained until 1987. It was then sold to the city and slated for demolition until a Save the Depot citizens group moved it to temporary storage near the power plant at 533 1st Ave. NE, then moved it across the street a year later to allow Marigold Foods expansion. In 1997 it was sold to a commercial enterprise, moved back to its original 1899 location, renovated, and transformed into a restaurant."