CN local approaches the former MILW freight house as it prepares to service a couple of industries at Chilton, WI on 26 Jul. '15. It was a passenger depot built by the Milwaukee & Northern on the northeast side of the main line at the intersection of Grande St. (now E. Grand St.), Adams St., and Division St. (now E. Main St.). It dates to at least 1892, but it may be the original depot from when the line was laid in 1872. If it was first depot, it was originally about half as long as it is now. It was moved about 600 feet to the southeast, its current location, and converted to a freight house after a new depot was built near the original site, but on the southwest side of the mainline, between 1904 and 1914 (the site is currently occupied by Reinl Accounting). The early village was originally named Stantonville, in honor of Moses Stanton, founder. The land was purchased by John Marygold in 1852 and he changed the name to Chilington, his hometown in England. He sent a request to the county seat, then Stockbridge, to make the name change official. A miscommunication resulted in the middle syllable being lost to history and the name became Chilton. |