Humphreys Park
The Caboose
The Penn Central caboose was donated to Humphreys Park in Linton, Indiana, by Mr. and Mrs. Joe Sullivan. The caboose was placed in the park by Joe Turpin, who is a crane operator for the Triple T Construction Company. Mayor Jimmie K. Wright had suggested removing the caboose from the Willows Restaurant and placing it in the park for the children. He also thought that people who had never seen the inside of a caboose could come to the park and view one up close.
The property on which the Depot was located had been the site of two bars, built side by side: the Elbow Room and the Last Chance. When the Elbow Room was torn down, the Depot was built around the Last Chance so that the bar was actually sitting in the middle of the Depot. The Depot opened in March 1977.
Joe and Kay Sullivan received the caboose from Amtrak in Indianapolis around 1970. The caboose came to Linton from Indianapolis by rail. The workers had a difficult time getting the caboose off the tracks and moving it to the location outside the restaurant. The Sullivans used the caboose to carry out the theme of their new restaurant, which they named the Depot. This name was chosen as the old Linton Depot had been located behind the restaurant near the railroad tracks.
The main purpose of the caboose was ornamental. The owners wanted people to remember the caboose and return to the restaurant when looking for a place to dine. Also, the customers of the Depot could walk through the caboose. They could gather there to talk before or after their dinner. The Sullivans continued to own the building after it was renamed Sabino’s and then later the Willows.
The caboose was originally painted green but now it is red with bold letters on the side: "Welcome to Linton City Park." The caboose is located in the park facing State Highway 54, where people can see it when they are passing through town.
This information was used with permission from the Linton-Stockton School Corporation.
