Before it became one of New Glarus' most recognizable historic landmarks, the former railroad depot served a different purpose. This rare 1984 photograph captures the building as the headquarters of the Sugar River State Trail and a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources office, preserving a chapter in its history that many residents may have forgotten.

The railroad tracks were gone, but the depot had already found a second life.

Taken in 1984, this photograph shows the former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad depot at a time when it was no longer welcoming passengers but was already playing an important role in Wisconsin's growing rails-to-trails movement. Large signs identify the building as the headquarters of the Sugar River State Trail, with offices for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).