Since Spring 2021, there are two components to our community service:
The “Varda Family Iron County Heritage Archives” of this website features many articles from the Iron County Miner and other publications tracing the Varda, Cattelino and Gallo families from their arrival in Iron County in the early 20th Century.
The White Pine Rail Line Corridor Committee caucused immediately following a meeting of the Northwoods Rail Transit Commission at Rhinelander on Friday, April 29, 2022. For an Iron County and White Pine RLC perspective, see “The Return of Rail” by Jack Miller (3/7/2022).
The first Wisconsin Central Group (and Lakes States Shipper Association) Rail Line Corridor Committee was established at a meeting at the Iron County Court on April 30, 2021, as reported by the Iron County Miner on May 6, 2021. Representatives of the to-be-established Ashland Rail Line Corridor Committee participated. Also represented were Watco, the pending purchaser of the rail line (line to be operated by FoxValley & Lake Superior Rail System, LLC, a/k/a “FOXY”) and a potential mining industry shipper. Public officials present included Iron, Gogebic and Ashland County representatives to the Northwoods Rail Transit Commission. The acquisition was approved by the Surface Transportation Board 2022.
