Sundays at the Depot – Griffith History Museums

November 20, 2025November 18, 2025 victoriavm Activities, Depot & Train Museums, Donate, fundraiser, Griffith Depot and Historical Park, Santa in the Caboose, Sundays at the Depot, Support the Depot, Support the Historical Society, Support the Rail-Cam, Volunteer

Santa in the Caboose 2025

Mark your calendars for this year’s
🎅 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐒𝐄! 🚃
➜ 𝑺𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒂𝒚, 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 13: 10 𝒂.𝒎. 𝒕𝒐 3 𝒑.𝒎.
➜ 𝑺𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒚, 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 14: 𝒏𝒐𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒐 3 𝒑.𝒎.
💸 Give a donation to see Santa (our 28th annual!) and support the upkeep (and heating!) of the Historical Park!
📸 Take as many personal photos & videos as you’d like!
🍪 Be sure to shop our Holiday Bake Sale and holiday stocking stuffers as well!
*𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥, 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦. 𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴, 𝘴𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴!

Want to volunteer for the event? Email us at [email protected]!

September 21, 2025 victoriavm Depot & Train Museums, Griffith Depot and Historical Park, Griffith Junction Butterfly Stop, Monarch Waystation, Sundays at the Depot

News From the Griffith Junction Butterfly Stop!

The Superfantastical Monarch Journey

The monarch butterflies fluttering about aren’t just casual flutterers. They are the last to be born in 2025, and they are ‘super monarchs.’

Right now, they are busy sipping up nectar they, so as to build up fat reserves in their bodies. You see, these particular butterflies were born to do a seemly impossible job.

They, and millions of other super monarchs, fly 1200 miles to a fir tree forest in central Mexico between August and November. And the continuation of their existence in the northeastern states depends upon their safe arrival.

These butterflies do have some ‘super powers’ to help them accomplish their task.

– Because of this journey, a super monarch will live far longer than the 2 to 5 weeks normal monarch butterflies do.
– These butterflies are born with larger wings and are capable of flying 50 to 100 miles in a single day, weather permitting.
– It is believed they were born with an internal sun compass or magnetic compass to guide them to Central America.
– They can fly at speeds of 5 to 25 miles an hour for 4-6 hours a day, gliding on currents of warm air called thermals, to conserve energy when possible.

At the end of each day of their journey, the butterflies will seek out nectar from the flowers to fuel their next-day trip. Once that is accomplished, they will spend the night in trees, clustered together for protection.

It will take the monarchs who leave from Indiana 5 to 7 weeks to make the trip to that Mexican forest Oyamel fir tree forest.

Once there, they, and millions of other super monarchs, will blanket the fir trees for warmth and to conserve energy. Thereafter, they will enter a state of dormancy, allowing them to survive the winter.

We wish all these spectacular insects a safe trip.

🦋Join us in May 2026 to celebrate these incredible creatures at our 2nd Annual Butterfly Day at the Griffith Historical Park, featuring our Monarch Waystation, the Griffith Junction Butterfly Stop.

(If you come visit our Monarch Waystation at the Depot, we ask that you do so respectfully. Please don’t touch the plants, insects, or disturb the habitat in any way. Thank you!)

photos by Jeanette Bobos and Ken Krick

September 17, 2025 victoriavm Activities, Barrel Train, Central Market, Depot & Train Museums, Franklin Center Museum, fundraiser, Griffith Depot and Historical Park, Sundays at the Depot, Support the Depot, Support the Historical Society, Support the Rail-Cam, Town History Museum, Volunteer

This weekend!

It’s a busy weekend for the Historical Society!!
🚂Friday – LAST Barrel Train at Central Market for the Season!
🚂Saturday – Barrel Train at Safety Day at Central Park!
🏛️Saturday – The TOWN HISTORY Museum at the Franklin Center will be open!
🛤️Sunday – Visit the Depot and Train Museums! Tour guides will be available. Parents of Beiriger 3rd Graders – come see what your kids learned this week!

May 29, 2025May 29, 2025 victoriavm Activities, Depot & Train Museums, Griffith Depot and Historical Park, Griffith Junction Butterfly Stop, Sundays at the Depot, Support the Depot, Support the Historical Society, Support the Rail-Cam, Volunteer

Get to know us!

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘁!
Come down to the Griffith Historical Park and visit the 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘂𝗺𝘀!

Get to know us and learn a little bit about the history of the railroads and the town that came to the tracks.

• 1 – 3 pm
• 201 S Broad Street
• At the tracks, on the corner of Broad Street and Avenue A

May 3, 2025 victoriavm Activities, Barrel Train, fundraiser, Griffith Depot and Historical Park, Griffith Junction Butterfly Stop, Monarch Waystation, Sundays at the Depot, Support the Depot, Support the Historical Society, Support the Rail-Cam

No rain can keep us from having Butterfly Day!

𝗪𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘:
𝑩𝑼𝑻𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑭𝑳𝒀 𝑫𝑨𝒀 𝑰𝑺 𝑶𝑵!!

• The Barrel Train will NOT be running
• The Depot and Train Musems WILL be open
• Our flower & butterfly experts will be inside
• The rest of the fun will be inside!

𝑵𝒆𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏, 𝒏𝒐𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒅, 𝒏𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒖𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑩𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒍𝒚 𝑫𝒂𝒚!

May 2, 2025 victoriavm Activities, fundraiser, Griffith Depot and Historical Park, Griffith Junction Butterfly Stop, Monarch Waystation, Sundays at the Depot, Support the Depot, Support the Historical Society, Support the Rail-Cam

Get your butterfly-friendly plants!

🦋𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻?
🌻𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀!!
👋Join us on Sunday to get your butterfly-friendly plants, and learn more about these amazing creatures!
🚂Griffith Depot & Train Museums – Corner of Broad St & Ave A, next to the tracks!
🙏Thanks Scheeringa Farms & Greenhouses for helping us choose plants butterflies love!

April 21, 2025 victoriavm Activities, Barrel Train, Griffith Depot and Historical Park, Griffith Junction Butterfly Stop, Monarch Waystation, Sundays at the Depot, Support the Depot, Support the Historical Society, Support the Rail-Cam, Volunteer

Butterfly Day at the Depot!

Join us to celebrate National Start Seeing Monarchs Day!
Visit Griffith’s very own butterfly garden, aptly named the Griffith Junction Butterfly Stop.
It’s the first anniversary of the garden, conceived and planted by Griffith Tri Kappa member Jeanette Bobos, and supported by the organization.
May 4th is one day after National Start Seeing Monarchs Day, when America celebrates those beautiful, endangered orange and yellow creatures.

It will be a fun and interesting Sunday afternoon at the Griffith Historical Park, where:
The Depot & Train Museums, and the Tower will be open to tour
Our barrel train, the Hess Express, will be running
Jeanette Bobos, the retired Master Gardner who planted our garden, will be on on hand to share her knowledge. We’ll have info on Monarchs and how they’ve become endangered.
Kim Moor, from The Wild Ones, will be with us sharing information about adding native plants to your garden.
Want plants to help butterflies, especially Monarchs? Through the courtesy of Scheeringa Farms, we’ll have a small selection of milkweed plants; black-eyed Susans, Griffith Centennial’s flower in 2004; plus some Heirloom Plants, as well.
Girl Scout Troop 15620 will be selling cookies, lemonade, and butterfly clips.
The Cub Scout Pack 622 and Boy Scout Troop 623 will be on hand with hotdogs, chips and pop.

December 17, 2024December 17, 2024 victoriavm Activities, Blog Posts, fundraiser, Santa in the Caboose, Sundays at the Depot, Support the Depot, Support the Historical Society, Support the Rail-Cam

Santa in the Caboose THANK YOU!

✨THANK YOU THANK YOU!
🎅This year’s Santa in the Caboose was a huge success thanks to every visitor and so many volunteers!
🚂This event is fun for everyone and has a huge impact in funding the upkeep of the Depot and Train Park!

🎄Thanks to our old friends who come every year, and to the new friends who found us this year.
🍪Thanks to the Scouts and Leaders of Griffith Girl Scout Troop 15620 for baking cookies for us to sell at our bake sale and for being part of the fun with their holiday hair club and headbands.
🌭Thanks to Griffith Cub Scout Pack 622 for again selling hot dogs and hot chocolate up at the Park during the event.
🥧Thank you TriKappa for donating baked goods!
🏫Thanks to the Griffith Public Schools for helping get the word out about Santa in the Caboose.
🌳Thanks to the Park Department for sharing the info at Central Park.
🏢Thanks to all the businesses that let us put flyers in their windows.
👋Hopefully we didn’t forget anyone!!
🙋‍♀️And a huge thanks all the Griffith Historical Society members who decorated the Depot and railcars, worked to promote the event, made goodies to sell, and made the event run smoothly!!
✨A special shoutout to volunteers/members Karen, Nancy, Martha Belinda, John, Laura, Valerie, Debbie, Jim and Beth for making this weekend a success!

🎅🤶And, of course, a big thanks to Santa and Mrs. Claus!

We had a wonderful time and we’ll see you next year!!

August 20, 2024August 13, 2024 victoriavm Activities, Blog Posts, Sundays at the Depot, Support the Depot, Support the Historical Society, Support the Rail-Cam

Recap: Sundays at the Depot; Moving Freight Along the Great Lakes

Thanks again, to photographer Max Crosby, for filling our Depot Museum and Historical Park with his incredible photos of magic moments on the rails. We loved your dynamic images and the amazing turnout you brought with you.

Thank you to Griffith Daisy Troop 15620, Cub Scout Pack 622, and Boy Scout Troop 623 for providing refreshments!

It was a wonderful weekend!

Check out more of Max’s work:
https://youtube.com/@peremarquette1223?si=3VYUDQFa2D7fRJnt

June 7, 2024August 13, 2024 victoriavm Activities, Sundays at the Depot, Support the Depot, Support the Historical Society

Clickety Clack! A Camera Down the Tracks

Come down to the Griffith Historical Park to view a special photography display, “Moving Freight Along the Great Lakes”, from 1 to 4 p.m., on June 15th and 16th.

The work showcases the railroads of the Great Lakes Region in action, moving freight forward to destinations all over the country.

Max Crosby, the photographer, has loved trains for longer than he can remember, and is passionate about capturing magic moments on the rails. He is talented, knowledgeable and has a wonderful eye for new and fresh compositions.

The photographs, a sample shown below, will be displayed colorfully and dynamically, along with descriptions throughout our iconic sleeper car. Guests can linger, experiencing trains, history, and pondering what it REALLY takes to move freight among the Great Lakes.

Our Grand Trunk Western Depot will be open, as well as our Road Caboose and Tower (which is celebrating its 100th birthday!)

Griffith Daisy Troop 15620 will have cookies and lemonade for sale on Saturday.

On both weekend days, Cub Scout Pack 622 and Boy Scout Troop 623, will be on hand selling hot dogs and chips, and pop on Sunday. Picnic tables will be available.