
PLEASANT LAKE, IND. — The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society is proud to announce the completion of the first phase of restoration at the historic Pleasant Lake railroad depot. To celebrate, the public is invited to a free open house on Saturday, August 9, coinciding with the community’s annual Pleasant Lake Days festival.
The event will include free tours of the restored 1880s-era depot, railroad exhibits, live music, and family-friendly activities, as well as special Ice Cream Train rides aboard a vintage passenger train departing from the depot in the late afternoon. Tickets for the Ice Cream Train go on sale July 24 at 6:00 PM at indianarailexperience.org.
“This station has been part of Pleasant Lake’s identity for over a century,” said Kelly Lynch, Executive Director of the Fort Wayne Railroad. “We’re thrilled to see it return as a symbol of neighborhood pride and as a destination for future events, excursions, and community.”
More than $259,000 has been raised to restore and revitalize the Pleasant Lake campus. The depot’s cosmetic restoration — completed with support from local volunteers, private donors, and Third Street Construction — includes a renewed foundation and floor in the freight house, fresh paint, replacement of damaged and rotted woodwork, new transoms and windows, restored and replica signage, new electrical and security systems, and even the incorporation of an original Lake Shore & Michigan Southern coal stove for the passenger station. This past winter, the original Pleasant Lake depot sign was returned to the building for the first time in decades, and focus will now move to restoring the station’s interior.
Underwriting and support for the project have come from Visit Indiana, Norfolk Southern, the Indiana Historical Society, the M.E. Raker Foundation, the Olive B. Cole Foundation, the Steuben County Tourism Bureau, Indiana Michigan Power, among others. Donations to support future work can be made online or by mail.
As a result of support from underwriting organizations like these, the partnership between the Fort Wayne Railroad and Indiana Northeastern Railroad has been able to host over 50,000 passengers and generate more than $5 million in economic impact across the region, according to the Steuben County Tourism Bureau.
As part of the ongoing investment in Pleasant Lake, the Fort Wayne Railroad and Indiana Northeastern are now rebuilding one of the depot’s original railroad sidings to facilitate the servicing, maintenance, and boarding of excursion trains. The new siding will be complemented by renewed landscaping and additional infrastructure, paving the way for future expansion.
Constructed in 1882 for the Fort Wayne & Jackson Railroad and later owned by the New York Central, the Pleasant Lake depot is a rare structure that combines passenger and freight service under one roof. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was once documented as one of Indiana’s 295 most threatened historic structures, a title it no longer shares.
Following the end of regular passenger service in the 1940s, the depot was briefly revived in the 1980s for tourist trains under the Little River Railroad and later preserved by residents in the 2000s.
The open house will complement the full schedule of Pleasant Lake Days festivities, including fireworks, a parade, car show, kids’ games, food trucks, and more. Visitors can expect a festive, family-friendly atmosphere.
For more information and to purchase tickets for the Ice Cream Train, visit indianarailexperience.org.