The Railroad Comes to Buchanan County, Iowa
In March of 1856, the Dubuque & Pacific Railroad company (also known as the Dubuque & Sioux City line) showed an interest in extending the railroad to Buchanan County for the first time. They made an appeal to the citizens of the county to provide a portion of the funds needed to make this happen. The call went out and 350 people signed a petition in favor of the venture. Judge O.H.P. Roszell ordered a special election to be held on July 3, 1856, to decide the question. Money was scarce at the time with many citizens already finding it difficult to pay ordinary taxes; the proposition was defeated.
Fortunately, the matter was not laid to rest. Discussion continued and the proposition was modified numerous times. Finally, in the fall of 1859, the company came up with a plan that met with approval. The local papers quickly announced that the railroad was coming! Skeptical citizens, who had had their hopes dashed too many times, did not believe it until the news was confirmed by the Dubuque papers a few days later. It was then that Independence erupted into celebration! Work began at once with a plan to extend the track to Winthrop by November 1 and to a point 5 miles west of Independence by December 1.
Meanwhile, Independence became a hub of activity as farmers thronged to the town with their wagon loads of grain. New elevators were speedily erected and several new grain and produce firms opened up for business. On Sunday, December 11, the track layers worked all day until the rails reached the Independence depot, the turntables were in place and functioning, and all was set for the formal opening. The next morning at 9 a.m., the first freight train left the depot taking the first shipment of produce consisting of wheat and pork. It was a momentous day that brought an era of greater prosperity to Buchanan County.
Later that month, a steam engine arrived in Independence at precisely 2 p.m. hauling four car loads of guests who had been invited to the official celebration of the arrival of the railroad. The festivities opened with a welcome by Daniel S. Lee, a local attorney who later became the town's first mayor, followed by a military procession to the Montour House hotel where guests were to stay. They were served an elegant dinner and entertained the guests with more military drills. In the evening, a huge ball was held with music by the Germania Band of Dubuque that went well into the night. The railroad had at last become a reality that was an indispensable part of the future development of the county.
In 1870, the Dubuque & Pacific was transferred, by a perpetual lease, to the Illinois Central Railroad Company.
Fortunately, the matter was not laid to rest. Discussion continued and the proposition was modified numerous times. Finally, in the fall of 1859, the company came up with a plan that met with approval. The local papers quickly announced that the railroad was coming! Skeptical citizens, who had had their hopes dashed too many times, did not believe it until the news was confirmed by the Dubuque papers a few days later. It was then that Independence erupted into celebration! Work began at once with a plan to extend the track to Winthrop by November 1 and to a point 5 miles west of Independence by December 1.
Meanwhile, Independence became a hub of activity as farmers thronged to the town with their wagon loads of grain. New elevators were speedily erected and several new grain and produce firms opened up for business. On Sunday, December 11, the track layers worked all day until the rails reached the Independence depot, the turntables were in place and functioning, and all was set for the formal opening. The next morning at 9 a.m., the first freight train left the depot taking the first shipment of produce consisting of wheat and pork. It was a momentous day that brought an era of greater prosperity to Buchanan County.
Later that month, a steam engine arrived in Independence at precisely 2 p.m. hauling four car loads of guests who had been invited to the official celebration of the arrival of the railroad. The festivities opened with a welcome by Daniel S. Lee, a local attorney who later became the town's first mayor, followed by a military procession to the Montour House hotel where guests were to stay. They were served an elegant dinner and entertained the guests with more military drills. In the evening, a huge ball was held with music by the Germania Band of Dubuque that went well into the night. The railroad had at last become a reality that was an indispensable part of the future development of the county.
In 1870, the Dubuque & Pacific was transferred, by a perpetual lease, to the Illinois Central Railroad Company.
