Updates from End-O-Line: 2025 Summer Highlights
By Jake Halverson, Site Supervisor
Welcome to summer at End-O-Line Railroad Park & Museum!
While June has brought its fair share of rain, we’re in a much better place—literally and figuratively—than we were last year at this time. As I sit down to write this post, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the grass outside my office window is green and thriving. A far cry from last summer, when that same window overlooked a temporary “lake” formed by a very swollen Des Moines River. I could practically wave to the carp as I sipped my afternoon tea.
This refreshing start to summer feels like the perfect metaphor for the beginning of another exciting season here at the museum.
May was a busy month of prepping the park for summer and welcoming school groups on their end-of-year field trips. While we had a slightly smaller turnout from area schools this year, we still saw hundreds of curious young minds exploring our historic buildings, locomotives, cabooses, and of course, our famous turntable.
A huge thank you goes out to Ann Muecke from the Murray County Historical Museum and Janet Timmerman, formerly of that same institution, for stepping in to help with one particularly busy day of student visitors. Your help was invaluable!
Our Annual Open House on June 14 was a standout day for the season, drawing in over 120 guests—the highest attendance of 2025 so far! The weather held out (mostly), with just a light sprinkle near the end of the day.
We were honored to welcome Arley K. Fadness from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, as our guest speaker. Arley delivered a compelling presentation on the history and lingering presence of the Ku Klux Klan in South Dakota—a difficult but important topic that resonated deeply with our visitors. We thank Arley for shedding light on this dark chapter and for helping us confront uncomfortable truths that are relevant far beyond state lines.
We’re happy to welcome back two familiar faces: Lisa Siverson and Nancy Moberg return as seasonal staff. And we’re especially excited to introduce the newest member of our team: Anna Johnson!
Anna is a native of Tracy, Minnesota, and holds a degree in Art History with a minor in History from Lawrence University. She brings with her museum experience from Wheels Across the Prairie and a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm. We’re thrilled to have her on board—welcome, Anna!
As we head into the heart of the summer season, we hope to see many of you out at the park. Whether it’s your first visit or your fiftieth, there’s always something new to discover at End-O-Line.