Dodge platted the town when he learned that the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad planned to build its line through that spot.

In this era before good roads and cars, the railroad was the only convenient link to far-away places, markets, and mail, and a town's depot was important.

[1] Originally the depot sat 60 feet east of its present location, but it was moved in 1914 to extend Center Street.

It was originally surrounded by a wooden platform, the roof ridge was topped by finials, and a canopy shaded the west side of the building, but those have been removed.

The right-of-way was purchased by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation after the Milwaukee Road entered bankruptcy.