Marquette Depot Museum & Information Center

Marquette Depot Museum & Information Center The Marquette Depot Museum celebrates the town's railroad history with exhibits of historic railroad artifacts from the 1800's.

The Marquette Depot Museum celebrates the town's rich Milwaukee Railroad history with exhibits of historic railroad artifacts, pontoon floating bridge and North McGregor (which is now called Marquette) Gift Shop - Information Center Marquette was originally incorporated as North McGregor in 1874, and it served as a railroad terminus for its southern neighbor. The city became a major hub on the rai

lroad, as grain from throughout Iowa and Minnesota was sent through the city en route to Lake Michigan. Initially trains had to be ferried across the river between Marquette and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, in order to continue their journey, but this system came to an end when Prairie du Chien businessman John Lawler had a permanent pontoon bridge built to connect the two cities' rail lines. Marquette subsequently became home to a major rail yard, which even as late as 1920 was the busiest in Iowa, employing 400 people. Not too long afterwards, the railroad's significance declined, the last passenger train stopped in Marquette in 1960, and the pontoon bridge was disassembled in 1961.

There's still time to do the CRAWL!
06/17/2026

There's still time to do the CRAWL!

06/15/2026
In the bottom middle of this early pic of North McGregor, IA is Flemming Lumber. Flemming was a booming business during...
06/14/2026

In the bottom middle of this early pic of North McGregor, IA is Flemming Lumber. Flemming was a booming business during the late 1800s. It helped build the towns we see today. During that time, Iowa was one of the top states for making lumber. The story is all about using the Mississippi River and the railroad together to move wood across the country. One of the biggest employers in the history of North McGregor was Flemming Lumber. This large mill and lumber yard brought hundreds of jobs and caused the local population to double in just ten years. Other family businesses, like Wingen Lumber and the Daubenberger lumber yard, started during this era and lasted for three generations. The giant lumber boom did not last forever. By the 1890s, the industry began to slow down drastically- Forests were cut down too fast and no one was replanting. The local sawmills were abandoned. The owners packed up their heavy machinery and moved to the Pacific Northwest and the South.

The Marquette and McGregor area has a deep historical connection to clamming: The Pearl Boom: In 1901, a massive wave ...
06/14/2026

The Marquette and McGregor area has a deep historical connection to clamming: The Pearl Boom: In 1901, a massive wave of high-quality freshwater pearls were discovered just north of McGregor, triggering a localized "pearl rush" where single pearls fetched fortunes. The Button Industry: Clammers used flat-bottomed johnboats and "crowfoot dredges" to harvest thousands of pounds of shells per day. These shells were shipped downriver to cities like Muscatine, Iowa, where they were punched and manufactured into pearl buttons. The Decline: The industry collapsed due to severe overfishing and the post WWII plastic buttons

Come check out our newest item in the gift shop. The town with two names!
06/13/2026

Come check out our newest item in the gift shop. The town with two names!

It's not to late to start the Clayton County Museum Crawl, which is taking place throughout the entire month of June.St...
06/10/2026

It's not to late to start the Clayton County Museum Crawl, which is taking place throughout the entire month of June.
Stop by and pick up your passport. There is no cost to participate, and it is a wonderful opportunity to learn about local history!

June 16th meal will be:Salisbury SteakMashed Potato/GravyBaked BeansRollSnicker Apple SaladRESERVATIONS NEED TO BE MADE ...
06/08/2026

June 16th meal will be:
Salisbury Steak
Mashed Potato/Gravy
Baked Beans
Roll
Snicker Apple Salad
RESERVATIONS NEED TO BE MADE BY JUNE 10TH

Stop by and pick up your Museum Crawl Passport! There's no cost and your could WIN prizes!
06/04/2026

Stop by and pick up your Museum Crawl Passport! There's no cost and your could WIN prizes!

One of my favorite topics to talk about at the Depot Museum is the old pontoon bridge - also called the "Floating Bridge...
06/01/2026

One of my favorite topics to talk about at the Depot Museum is the old pontoon bridge - also called the "Floating Bridge". It has such a rich history. Built in 1874 by John Lawler, designed by a Mr. Spettell, an employee of his.

Address

216 Edgar Street, PO Box 274
Marquette, IA
52158

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

(563) 873-1200

Website

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