DUBUQUE AND IOWA FALLS RAILROAD

DUBUQUE AND IOWA FALLS RAILROAD. The DUBUQUE AND PACIFIC RAILROAD was organized on April 22, 1857 under the leadership of John T. Dyer and Platt SMITH. They raised money during the first year but had laid no rail by the end of the year. The following year, rail was laid west from Dubuque to Dyersville. The Panic of 1857 and the CIVIL WAR resulted in all railroad building in Iowa being stopped.

Platt Smith took over the line and renamed it the Dubuque and Iowa Falls Railroad. He promised that the rail would reach Iowa Falls by 1867. The first survey of the Dubuque and Sioux City Railway (later to become the Illinois Central) was made in 1857, but it was not until 1866 that the first train reached Iowa Falls. On April 15 there was a large crowd of people at the depot awaiting its arrival. A three-day celebration was held, with a special excursion train running from Dubuque to Iowa Falls on April 24. Both the Dubuque Herald and Dubuque Times carried stories of the celebration. Evening entertainment, dinner and dancing were held at Sayer's Hall. The following day the excursion returned to Dubuque where another grand celebration was held. (1)

John Insley Blair developed a rival line called the Iowa Falls and Sioux City Railroad with the intent of beating the Dubuque and Iowa Falls Railroad to Sioux City. He persuaded Smith to abandon his own railroad and join with Blair which disgusted officials of the D & I.F. Eventually Blair pushed his line to Iowa Falls and leased the track of the Dubuque and Iowa Falls line.

In 1867 the Dubuque line and the Illinois Central Railroad merged.

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Source:

1. A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary--Iowa Falls, Iowa. Railroad Era: 1866 to 1909 Online: http://www.iafalls.com/historic/railroad_era.html