April 28, 1853 – The Dubuque & Pacific Rail Road Company (D&P) – one of four railroads competing in Iowa – is chartered.
The first division of the D&P – Dubuque to Dyersville, Iowa (about 29 miles) – was completed in May 1857, and the second division – Dyersville to Jesup, Iowa (about 49 miles) – was completed in March 1860.
The dream of a Transcontinental Railroad began as early as 1838, but by the 1850’s, serious investors were putting big money into that dream. Chicago was becoming the nation’s new railway center and with the dream of reaching California, the bridge to getting there went directly through Iowa. In 1856, the Iowa Land Bill opened up our state to four competing railroads and now, the race to the West was on!
READ MORE ABOUT THIS IOWA STORY HERE.
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