The Past

A Landmark Worth Saving

Built in 1918, the former service station on Randall Street has greeted generations of residents and visitors as they entered Potwin. For more than a century it stood as the town’s front porch — the first thing people saw when they came downtown. In recent decades, the building fell into disrepair, a quiet reminder of the challenges facing many small towns.

Station 85 is our community’s effort to bring that landmark back to life. The name honors Potwin’s founding year of 1885, a tribute to the resilience that has defined this town for generations. Together, we’re reclaiming a symbol of our past and transforming it into a cornerstone for Potwin’s future.

Restoring More Than a Building

Potwin and nearby communities have long faced the difficulties of a rural food desert and a quiet Main Street. Access to fresh foods is limited, and places to gather are few. Station 85 will help change that by turning an empty building into a working example of what small towns can do together.

Our project will:
• Improve local food access through a marketplace featuring fresh and locally produced goods.
• Revitalize downtown by restoring a visible historic property and encouraging new business activity.
• Foster community connection through a welcoming “third place” — not home, not work, but the space in between where neighbors meet and belong.
• Preserve rural heritage by honoring the craftsmanship and stories tied to this 1918 structure.