Railroad History Of Winneshiek County

The history of the settlement of the west can in many aspects be attributed to the coming of a railroad. To the first settlers the railroads provided the opportunities to link up with markets across the nation without having to travel far from their farms. The lines brought hope and change, but also brought crime and corruption. The story of almost every town west of the Mississippi can in some way be linked to the story of the railroad that serviced the area. These towns grew over the years in size and economic wealth as the amounts of trade and transport transformed the line into a funnel for economic progress. Though the railroads would eventually be challenged by trucking companies and personal automobiles, the business the railroads had help establish lead the community into the wealth they have today. In the northern Iowa county of Winneshiek, each town holds the perfect example of railroad successes and failures. Each town holds their own heritage, which can uniquely be associated with many other towns across the west. The heritage left by the railroads can be directly linked to the heritage of the western United States. To look at the history of us, we need to look into the founding of the railroads.

The history of the settlement of the West can in many aspects be attributed to the coming of a railroad. To the first settlers, the railroads provided the opportunities to link up with markets across the nation without having to travel far from their farms. The lines brought hope and change, but also brought crime and corruption. The story of almost every town west of the Mississippi can in some way be linked to the story of the railroad that serviced the area. These towns grew over the years in size and economic wealth as the amounts of trade and transport transformed the line into a funnel for economic progress. Though the railroads would eventually be challenged by trucking companies and personal automobiles, the business the railroads had help establish lead the community into the wealth they have today. In the northern Iowa county of Winneshiek, each town holds the perfect example of railroad successes and failures. Each town holds their own heritage, which can uniquely be associated with many other towns across the west. The heritage left by the railroads can be directly linked to the heritage of the western United States. To look at the history of us, we need to look into the founding of the railroads.

"It is difficult to imagine how the evolution of an industry, through the perspective of one of its giants, could be better told". -- Tarrant Business

A gold coin found in the time capsule of East Side School was a real coin. Gus Klemetson, editor of the Decorah Docket and amateur coin collector, knew that, but he couldn't find any reference to it. The name of the donor, Decorah Laurah, also had no history. With persistence, luck, and help, he uncovered a most amazing story. Abraham Lincoln had commissioned a secret mint in 1861, the coins destined to buy Sioux Indian peacefulness during the impending Civil War. Stolen before delivery, Gus tracked their circuitous journey to the person of Decorah Laurah. Unfortunately, his quest soon struck very close to home, almost costing Gus his life and everything dear to him.

A fascinating and informative look at the history of Winneshiek County, Iowa, including the stories of some of the most important figures in the region's development. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.