Marion's Railroad History

Marion's Railroad History. Historic Marion, Iowa. , Originally built in 1888, the C.M. and St. Paul Depot was located on 6th Ave. between 11th and 12th Streets. In 1938, an extension was added to the original building for additional office space. The two-floor depot was the railroad hub of Marion until the 1970s, when it faced imminent demolition. , To preserve this portion of Marion history, a group of determined Marion citizens banded together to raise money and support to move the original depot roof to Marion Square Park, where it would be reused as a pavilion roof. Because of this effort, Marion citizens were able to memorialize one of the most important buildings in Marion's history. , For more than a century, the railroad played a major role in Marion's history. On October 13, 1859 the first railcar rolled into Marion; a wood-burning train of the Dubuque Southern Railway. In 1872, the Sabula, Ackley, and Dakota Railway joined the Dubuque Southern in Marion; the S.A. and D. later became the more commonly known “Milwaukee Road.” , During the 1880s, the railroad provided a real boom for Marion; the highlight of this time being in 1887 when Marion was named a Division Point. This time saw the addition of a roundhouse, a new depot, and many new businesses and residents in Marion. Marion remained a Division Point until 1918. , The railroad offered freight and passenger services through Marion, changing the way the town was built and populated. The transport of lumber changed how houses were built. With the constant flow of travelers, Marion began to see new hotels, restaurants, and other businesses near the rail line. These new industries catered to the expanding workforce living in Marion to support the railroad companies. , In the 1940s, airlines began to compete very heavily with railroad companies. This took its toll on the Milwaukee Road and Marion saw its last passenger train on May 2, 1971. This left Marion with only a struggling freight service. On March 1, 1980; the Milwaukee Road left with its last train out of Marion.