Summer has arrived at End-O-Line Railroad Park and Museum — and a very muggy summer it is!
What was once a nice, cool and dry couple of months has been replaced with sweaty, humid tropics. But who is complaining? We have been doing very well out at the Park in Currie this year.
I should first mention the summer help we have at End-O-Line this season.
Nancy Moberg and Anna Johnston have returned — this being Nancy’s sixth year in a row and Anna’s second. Nancy and Anna are joined this year by Denny Stubbs, who comes to us from Moville, Iowa, via a summer house on Lake Shetek.
Nancy has been diligently looking to the needs of the front counter, while Anna and Denny have been providing terrific guided tours for our visitors.
When we are without visitors — which often happens for a couple of hours around midday — Anna has been working on inventorying and cleaning items that will be returned to display in the General Store. During these off-hours, Denny has been doing excellent work making much-needed repairs, touch-ups and all-around general fixes to the infrastructure on the grounds.
In short, we have an excellent team this year, and I couldn’t be happier with all of their great work and determination in bringing a unique and positive experience to each visitor.
Indeed, there have been quite a few visitors this year. This is, in no small way, due to a very unexpected request from Minnesota’s local CBS affiliate out of my hometown, Minneapolis.
Earlier in June, I was contacted by WCCO’s John Lauritsen to see if it would be alright to come down to Currie to do a news piece on End-O-Line. The piece aired two weeks later during a 10 p.m. broadcast as part of the Finding Minnesota series.
Naturally, I was happy to oblige!
After welcoming John and his videographer, Mike Durenberger, to the Park, I showed them just what it is that makes our museum so unique.
Hint: the turntable!
It was a pleasure to meet John and Mike — and I thank them both for their time — and to have the opportunity to show off this little gem in Southwest Minnesota.
For about a month after the piece aired, we had visitors coming in from across the Upper Midwest almost daily, saying they had seen our museum on the news and wanted to come find us and experience it in person.
Also in June, End-O-Line held its Annual Open House. Aside from being very well attended on a day with terrific weather, we were honored to host our guest speaker for 2026, Teresa Peterson, Ed.D.
Dr. Peterson is an author, storyteller and gardener from the Upper Sioux Community. As a Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota, she was gracious enough to come and speak with us regarding our shared history in Southwest Minnesota.
Dr. Peterson spoke about the Indigenous history that is often overlooked when discussing the events surrounding the outbreak of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, specifically the event that occurred here in Murray County at what is now called “Slaughter Slough.”
Thank you for sharing our history with us, Dr. Peterson, and we look forward to your next book!
Lastly, I would like to mention End-O-Line itself.
As noted earlier, Anna Johnston is doing inventory work with items from our General Store. Now that the General Store and Grist Mill have been moved, we are in the process of readying the displays so they will be completed for next year’s opening on Memorial Day Weekend 2027.
There are an awful lot of boxes that need to be moved, their contents cleaned and inventoried, and everything placed back on the shelves.
But we are well on our way to getting ready for the grand reopenings of these two buildings.
That is something to look forward to next year!
Until this fall, I wish you all a pleasant — and hopefully non-tropical — end to your respective summers.
If you have the time, why not come out and visit us in Currie?
Explore the museum, discover some local railroad history, take a spin on the turntable or even enjoy one of our rentable e-bikes.
All are welcome!