Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary

Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary. McGowan Interurban Railway Bridge and Passenger Station. , From 1913 to 1933, the Kansas City, Clay County and St. Joseph (KCCC&SJ) Railway provided high-speed electric rail service, linking Kansas City with North Kansas City, Liberty, and Excelsior Springs. This commuter and freight railroad was commonly referred to as “the Interurban.”, Accessible via Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary's Rush Creek and McGowan Bridge Trails or the Interurban RR Trail, a well-preserved concrete arched bridge allowed trains to cross safely over Rush Creek. Designed by Daniel Luten and constructed circa 1912, this bridge remains one of the railway’s enduring legacies. A small passenger station near the bridge was named after Clay County native Hugh McGowan. Today, the eastern portion of Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary occupies land that was once McGowan’s birthplace and family farm., McGowan’s parents were natives of Ireland and by 1853 had settled in Clay County. They had 7 children including Hugh who was born in 1857. After experiencing the devastating grasshopper infestation of 1875, Hugh decided that farming would not be his life’s calling. He struck out on his own and began his career in transportation by driving a horse-drawn streetcar in Kansas City. From those humble beginnings, he went on to develop and manage interurban transit systems in several cities across Indiana and Ohio. McGowan still owned the family farm when he passed away in 1911, just as construction of the KCCC&SJ was getting underway. His name, inscribed on the bridge, serves as a lasting tribute to his legacy., The KCCC&SJ system was built with comfort, durability, and efficiency in mind. Its opening in 1913 coincided with the peak of the interurban era, when demand for regional rail service was high due to limited road infrastructure. Sometimes known as the "Red Line" for the maroon color of its steel coaches, the Interurban provided comfortable and convenient transportation, reaching speeds more than 70 miles per hour., The KCCC&SJ typically maintained an hourly departure schedule with trains originating in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The rail system was comprised of two branch lines: one to St. Joseph and the other through Clay County to Excelsior Springs. The “Springs Route” extended for 27.7 miles and provided 26 stops. Passengers who boarded at McGowan station could travel on outbound trains to Mosby, Crescent Lake and Excelsior Springs or on inbound trains to Liberty, Glenaire, Claycomo, Winnwood, Avondale, North Kansas City and Kansas City. , The rise of paved roads and affordable automobiles in the 1920s led to a decline in ridership, and the railway ceased operations in 1933. Today, the McGowan Bridge stands as a lasting reminder of this once-thriving interurban network, preserving the history of a bygone era of electric rail travel., Historical content provided by Tony Meyers of the Clay County Archives and Historical Library.