Mendon still looking for donations to restore old railroad station

By Marty Archibald

December 1, 2005 | MENDON -- What once was the passenger and shipping hub for Mendon will soon be a community center for the city.

Mendon Station was built in 1916 and used by the Utah Idaho Central Railroad for more than 30 years to transport such things as hardware, groceries, dry goods and coal. It was even used by high school students to get to and from South Cache in Hyrum.

In February 1947 the station saw its last train leave the station. Since then the old train station has been used as a post office, carpet store, restaurant, office building and town hall. A little over a year ago the city made the decision the restore the deteriorating building.

"This is our last public building and if it's torn down or destroyed then we have no buildings at all," says Mayor Sydney Larsen.

Thanks to donations of money, time and materials from community members the building is nearing completion, but more donations are needed. Thanks to a $60,000 last-dollar grant from the Eccles Foundation, a little under $20,000 in donations is needed, Larsen said. Once that $20,000 is raised the Eccles grant will be released.

Once completed the building will be used for various activities such as public meetings, socials, weddings, and for art, musical and small theatrical presentations. According to Assistant Clerk Daphne Carlson, several weddings have already been scheduled. Some have been turned down due to the incompletion of the building.

When completed the estimated cost of the building will be around $206,000. No set date has been made for completion, but hopes are for early next year.

"The projected completion date depends on the amount of help and financial support yet to be contributed," says Larsen.

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