Lake States Railway Historical Association is a non-profit organization with an archive facility located at 330 Lynn Street, Baraboo, WI 53913. Follow our latest Photo Archive uploads HERE.
Burt Mall, Lake States board trustee for the past several years, has passed away. Our condolences to Burt’s family and friends. Burt was a guiding force in the railroad preservation community on multiple fronts. He was a partner in the SOO 1003’s revival and operation for the past quarter of a century. He authored a book on CB&Q’s late steam era from a first person viewpoint, having grown up in CB&Q territory in the Chicago area. Burt was also a supporter of Lake States and our mission. Read more here. Official obituary here.
In honor of Ray Buhrmaster, one of the founding members of Lake States, we have digitized his collection of 35mm color photography. 2,238 images have been uploaded thus far. We anticipate completion by the end of this year. The collection may be viewed here.
Mark your calendars now for the 18th annual Lake States Railroad History Symposium, to be held once again at the Al. Ringling theatre in downtown Baraboo, Wisconsin on Saturday, April 11, 2026. A wine and cheese reception following the presentations will be a new feature for 2026. More information and on-line registration will be available by December.
We are dedicated to:
- Expanding and Disseminating Knowledge on the History of Railroading
- Preserving and Protecting Railroad Artifacts and Their Restoration
- Facilitating Research, Interpretation, and Publication from Our Collections
Lake States Railway Historical Association is affiliated with the Wisconsin Historical Society and Wisconsin Council for Local History, and a member of the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH).