110th Anniversary Celebration Held for Bemidji’s Great Northern Depot

Plaque recognizing the Great Northern Depot on the National Register of Historic Places

Tuesday, Jan. 17 marks the 110th birthday of Bemidji’s historic Great Northern Depot, and in honor of the anniversary the Beltrami County Historical Society, which is housed within the building, held a celebration over the weekend.

The event showcased an exhibit which explained the history of the depot as well as information on the life of its mastermind, James J. Hill. The historical society also unveiled a plaque officially marking the depot as part of the National Register of Historic Places.

“The Great Northern Depot has been kind of a centerpiece of Bemidji, and Bemidji has sort of grown around it, and it’s really one of the major reasons that Bemidji was successful as a city,” said Dan Allosso, Beltrami County Historical Society Board President. “And so we were very lucky as the historical society to be able to be inside this historic building, and I think it makes a great venue for the work that we do.”

The event also featured an exclusive look at the Beltrami County History Center’s archives as well as a look at the center’s model train display in action.