2025 Hometown HEROES Magazine LINCOLN DAILY NEWS June/July 2025 Page 5 In 1971, Ruthann Fink and her husband moved the depot to the Whistle Stop park to help preserve the building. Gass had talked to Emden mayors about the depot for a library, but it was not until Ivan Rademaker was mayor that she was granted permission by the town. Rademaker and the town board told her that she would have to finance the work herself. The depot was in good condition structurally. Gass said the building was still in its glory but needed major cleaning. She and Emden resident Holly Moore spent hours cleaning the floors and painting the walls. Gass began setting up the library in 2006 when Emden Grade School stopped having summer reading programs. Gass wanted to start doing summer programs at the library by 2007. When the library opened in 2007, Gass was able to start doing summer library programs as she had hoped. She chose the name Whistle Stop Library because it was located in Whistle Stop Park. Continue -- Other libraries donated books. To get funds, Gass had to do some fundraising. At the time, she worked at Kroger and was able to raise some funds there through selling hot dogs and chips. The Boy Scouts also contributed some funds. Contributions also came in from various individuals after they read an article about the depot. Because the building sat on railroad ties and was in an area of Emden where water collected after rains, the library’s foundation began sinking into the ground. By 2010, the library needed a new foundation. After Gass realized the library needed a new foundation, she got an estimate of $15,000 for the work. Gass raised some of the money herself and got some help from Emden’s Community Chest and from Orvil Township. She also had a garage sale during Route 66 weekend sales. Gass had raised $10,000 but still needed $5,000 more dollars. Then, someone told her about the Danner Trust in Mt. Pulaski that would give money to places like libraries.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzExODA=