Stoughton Railroad Depot Artifact – bicycle rig customized in the early days after the depot opened.   

Stoughton Hub 5/20/1965: 

“About 50 years ago George Kendall, now of Milwaukee, brother of Mrs. Joe Cook and uncle of Mrs. William Rosenbaum, lived on the John Bickley farm and worked at the Stoughton depot.  In order to get to work he had a special attachment made for his bicycle which permitted it to be ridden down the railroad tracks.  This was used to get back and forth the three miles or so to the station. 

D.J. Connor was station agent then and Connie Midtbon of Edgerton was one of the three telegraph operators.  A staff of about 6 or 7 persons manned the Milwaukee Road station in those days and it was a very lively place.  

The rig which was found recently in the tobacco shed on the John Bickley farm has now been presented to the Stoughton Historical Museum as another interesting memento of the past and can (still) be seen there.  Mr. Kendall cannot recall how he got the idea or who made the attachment for his bicycle.  He thinks that he used it during the winter despite the snow because of the fact that so many trains ran through Stoughton in those days that the tracks were kept clear.” 

Stoughton Hub 5/20/1965