Our Iowa Heritage: An Introduction. We might suggest you start here! Here’s how & why I got started collecting stamps, coins, and other Iowa memorabilia.
The Six Eras Of Transportation In Johnson County. Without a doubt, the subject of The Transportation History of Johnson County is a huge topic – one that could take hours and hours to unpack. Here, on this page, we simply give you a brief overview – breaking our 185+ year Johnson County transportation history into six major themes. We then offer you a few facts and figures about each era, followed by some page links for more study. Come take the journey!
John Plumbe, Jr. – Engineering a Railroad to the Moon. In 1836, a visionary came to Dubuque, believing the best future for America would be achieved thru a coast-to-coast railway system. His first step was to convince Congress to finance a set of tracks from the shores of Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River. But in 1838, legislators just weren’t buying it, telling Plumbe that it would be easier to convince people to build a railroad to the moon! Too bad no one believed him…because his dream was fulfilled by 1869.
1849 – Iowans Want The Transcontinental Railroad! In the late 1840’s, a very determined dreamer/businessman from New York – Asa Whitney – began traveling the country, drumming up public support for his grand idea of a transcontinental railroad that reached to the Pacific Ocean. The U.S. Congress had turned him down in 1845, and again in 1848, but now Whitney had a book and a speaking tour – getting more Americans behind him – including the voices of many Iowa citizens who saw our state as the centerpiece of such an endeavor.
The 1850’s – The Birth Of Iowa Railroads. 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!
The Mississippi & Missouri Railroad – Volume I – 1845-1855. With its headquarters in Davenport, the M&M Railroad had lofty goals of building three lines in Iowa – the first running east/west from Davenport to Council Bluffs via Iowa City, the second running south from Muscatine to the Missouri border via Oskaloosa, and the third running north from Muscatine toward Minnesota via Marion/Cedar Rapids. Over the first ten years, much of the work entails casting vision, partnering with eastern-based railroads, and raising funds.
The Mississippi & Missouri – Iowa’s First Railway System. It’s 1853, and with the M&M Railroad now “officially” incorporated, job one – outside of raising funds – is to hire Peter A. Dey and Grenville M. Dodge as surveyors. Their job is to layout the 300-mile M&M route across Iowa – from Davenport to Iowa City to Des Moines to Council Bluffs. And, BTW – don’t overlook Muscatine!
1853 – The $50,000 Investment In Iowa City’s Future. When the Mississippi & Missouri (M&M) Railroad announced its plan to build their line from Davenport to Council Bluffs, the competition was on for communities like Iowa City and Muscatine to bargain for the number one station stop. In May 1853, two Iowa City businessmen – LeGrand Byington and William Penn Clarke – were sent to Chicago to twist a few arms. Armed with a $50K promise if M&M made it to Iowa City by January 1, 1856, the deal was cut and Iowa City’s long-term future was secured.
Fifty Locomotives Of The M&M Railroad. Here’s an overview of 50 steam locomotives, built in the 1850’s for the Mississippi & Missouri (M&M) Railroad. These were the engines that pulled M&M’s many passenger & freight cars around the State of Iowa over its eleven years of service (1855-1866).
The Survivors: Eleven Locomotives Of The M&M Railroad. In an earlier post (above), we offered you an extensive overview of 50 steam locomotives, built in the 1850’s for the M&M Railroad. Sadly, none of these beauties have survived to today, but the good news is that eleven of these classics were photographed before their demise. Come take a colorful look at these iconic steam locomotives from the past.
The Mississippi & Missouri Railroad – Volume II – 1856-1866. As the year 1855 came to a close, the M&M management team was under the gun. Originally, the plan was to have the east/west line into Iowa City completed by December 1, but construction had fallen far behind schedule. Spurred on by a $50,000 prize if M&M could bring an engine into Iowa’s capital city by January 1, 1856, we now come to the most dramatic part of the M&M Railroad story.
Railroading & The Winter Of 1855/56. The M&M Railroad – which began its trek westward from Davenport toward Iowa City in the fall of 1855 – was just one of America’s railroads to experience hardship during the Winter of 1855/56. Known to most Iowa pioneers as one of the harshest winters the Midwest experienced during the entire 19th century, here’s one scary story of travelers trying to get to Iowa City from Detroit.
Let The City-Wide Celebration Begin: 1856. Two days after the M&M Railroad completed their track into Iowa City, a party to end all parties was held in the Old Stone Capitol. Seven train coaches rolled into town on January 3rd, filled with bigwigs from back East, and while the temperatures were cold enough to keep everybody home, the whole town turned out for Iowa City’s Grand Railroad Festival.
1856 – Bridging The Father Of Waters. In January 1856, the M&M Railroad rolled into Iowa City from Davenport, but it wasn’t until April when the final link of our railroad connection to the East was complete. On April 22, 1856, the very first railroad bridge over the Mississippi River opened, and now, the people of eastern Iowa could travel non-stop – reaching New York City by rail in no more than forty-two hours!
Iowa City’s Railroad Depot – Grand Central Station. In preparation for the coming of the railroad, the good people of Iowa City built a small depot at the south end of Johnson Street. While it faithfully served the city for 40+ years (1856-1898), it was replaced by a state-of-the-art facility that still stands today. Without a doubt, over 70+ years (1898-1970), this depot became Iowa City’s Grand Central Station.
Riding The Five Rails Of Iowa City. Over a 120-year period (1850-1970) there were five different railway systems that attempted to serve the good people of Iowa City with passenger rail service. Today – there is none. Come reminisce with us as we review the amazing stories behind these five railways from our past.
– The Lyons-Iowa Central RR – The Calico (1850-1854)
– The Mississippi & Missouri (M&M) / Rock Island (CRI&P) RR (1853-1974)
– The Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern (BCR&N) RR – The Plug (1873-1924)
– The Cedar Rapids & Iowa City (CRANDIC) Interurban Railway (1904-1953)
– The CRANDIC Interurban Railway Trolley Picture Page
– The Iowa City Electric Railway (1910-1930)
All Aboard Iowa RPO’s. As railroads became the fastest and most efficient way to move both freight and people, so the United States Postal System wisely used the rails to get mail across the country. RPO’s (Railway Postal Offices) were the mobile offices that made it all happen.
A M&M Railroad Timetable. The idea of building a railway system across Iowa goes back to our earliest days when we were still only a U.S. Territory. Here is a timetable that begins with John Plumb’s visionary meeting in Dubuque in March 1838 and ends with the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad and the Rock Island Railroad’s arrival in Council Bluffs in May 1869.
Two Iowa City Presidential Whistlestops – 1948 & 1952. The Presidential races of 1948 and 1952 brought the campaigns of President Harry S. Truman (1948) and General Dwight D. Eisenhower (1952) right to the front door of Iowa City. Read these first-hand accounts of two unforgettable Whistlestops that drew huge crowds to the CRI&P Railroad Depot on Wright Street.
May 31, 1970 – An End Of An Era In Iowa City. After 114 years of passenger rail service in Iowa City, the last two Rock Island Rockets pulled into town on a Sunday afternoon in May 1970. One was headed west to Council Bluffs, the other eastward to Chicago. Fortunately, one man took a few photographs on that iconic day when the railroad era ended in Iowa City.
Irving Weber & Iowa City’s Rock Island Railroad. On March 31, 1980, a 125-year Iowa City tradition came to an end when the last Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific (CRI&P) Railroad freight train rolled through town. Nine days later, Iowa City historian Irving Weber published his classic article: Requiem for the Rock Island Line in Iowa City. Come re-visit Weber’s love of Iowa City’s long-standing Rock Island Railroad heritage.
The Transportation History Center Of Johnson County. Because of our rich 185+ year transportation history, we here, at Our Iowa Heritage are working alongside The Johnson County Historical Society (JCHS), The City of Iowa City, The Friends of Historical Preservation (FHP), and other interested parties to secure the CRI&P Railroad Depot located at 115 Wright Street in Iowa City, re-storing and re-purposing this iconic treasure into a historical center where many – both young and old – can come and re-visit our rich Johnson County transportation heritage. Come join in our efforts!
We Are Looking For Your Iowa City Rock Island Depot Stories. The Iowa City Rock Island Depot opened on September 29, 1898, and over the next 72 years (1970), thousands of people traveled in and out of Johnson County by walking through the double doors of this small, quaint building located just seven blocks south of Old Capitol. Now, as we prepare to put together a fund-raising campaign to secure, restore & re-open the depot, we need your personal stories surrounding this iconic Iowa City site to help make our case.