Save Nisswa's Caboose: A Piece of History

The story of the caboose in downtown Nisswa, Minnesota, begins in 1984. The city was preparing for its 100th year celebration and, as a reminder of how important railroads were to our area’s formation, a rare 1957 Great Northern [GN] slant roof cupola caboose was donated by Burlington Northern Railroad [BNR]. At the time of donation, the caboose was in its original color of vermilion red. It originally sat near the Nisswa Chamber of Commerce, and inside was a collection of Nisswa Centennial memorabilia.

In 1994, the caboose was moved north from its original location in downtown Nisswa. A group of community members interested in preserving the area’s rich history established the Nisswa Caboose Society, a 501(c)3 organization. The focus of this organization was to care for the caboose as it was then viewed as a museum. The Nisswa Caboose Society expanded to include a larger museum and a Pioneer Village across the street, land and buildings donated by local philanthropist Lee Anderson. The nonprofit’s name was changed to the Nisswa Area Historical Society.

The caboose desperately needs repairs, and as a nonprofit organization, we cannot afford the necessary repairs on our own. We must rely on donations of money and services. The organization understands and agrees that our caboose is not at its best, and we wish to restore and repair the damage. A few minor short-term fixes had been tried in the past, but time and the elements have caused extensive damage, and now the repairs are expensive. The metal roof is rusty and leaks, which causes damage inside the caboose. The holes and damage on the outside need to be repaired so it can be painted back to the original vermilion red. We would also like to purchase the correct Great Northern logos for the exterior. The windows need to be repaired. The interior has water damage, and the seat cushions are torn. The interior also needs to be painted.

Because of the extensive damage on the inside, the caboose must be closed to visitors for their safety. This caboose has been part of the downtown Nisswa experience for local and out-of-town visitors for 41 years. If you have been in Nisswa, it is very likely you have walked by our caboose, maybe you, your children, or grandchildren have played in the caboose or on the smaller wooden train nearby. We have local elementary school tours at the History Center, Caboose, and the Pioneer Village grounds in the summer and we open up the caboose for Halloween trick or treating.

This little caboose is a fixture in Nisswa. Our summer visitors enjoy touring the caboose and the original train depot free of charge. We have begun repairs, focusing on the exterior first, then moving on to the interior. The Nisswa Area Historical Society would appreciate any monetary donations or donations of services to help with the necessary repairs to bring this little caboose back to how it looked in 1957.