Fourth Annual Southeast Iowa Depot Tour to include 14 locations

Iowa has a rich railroad history. As the westward movement grew, it became very clear that transporting goods by water would not meet the demand of the American population. The West did not have a large number of navigable rivers. The only practical way was to use land transportation. At the time this meant build railroads. It is interesting to note that these last few years of severe drought and reignited the demand for reliable rail transportation. The Mississippi River was so low that barges could not be filled completely with grain. Many more trips were required to move grain and produce down the river.

In the late 1840s railroads began building in Iowa. By 1860 there were 655 miles of track. By 1900 the mileage was nearly 9,200 miles. While small railroads operated around Iowa’s river towns, the first railroad to cross the Mississippi was built in 1856. First known as the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad, is later became the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. The Rock Island was liquidated by the bankruptcy court in 1980.

This year’s depot tour, scheduled for Oct. 5-6, includes 14 important history railroad sites. There is a different experience at each location. The dedicated group of depot conservators and owners have joined forces to make a lasting impression on visitors. In their words -- Embark on a journey through time and discover the rich history of our region's depots. Join us for Southeast Iowa Depot Days, where you can visit lovingly preserved depots nestled in the scenic rolling hills of our region as well as a few places still developing future restorations.

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