The next year, the line would be continued to Thayer, Kansas. By 1871, the line reached Cherryvale, in far southern Kansas.
In 1872, the line reached its southern terminus in Independence. The line would later be continued to Tulsa and further into Oklahoma.
The final segment of the railroad was constructed by the Southern Kansas Railroad.
By 1879, the LL&G became a part of the Kansas City, Lawrence & South Kansas Railroad; which was in turn bought by the Southern Kansas Railroad in 1883.
In 1888, all of these lines became a part of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. The ATSF had constructed a lot of track in the region.
Despite being a mainline for the ATSF for over a century, it would be removed from the system in 1990. From Ottawa to Iola, the railroad was abandoned; and later became the Prairie Spirit Rail Trail.
South of Iola, the line was sold to the South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL). In 2017, SKOL continues to operate this section, which connects several other lines.
However, a small segment from Iola to Humboldt was abandoned and later converted to the Southwind Rail Trail.
06/26/21
This simple deck girder bridge crosses Deer Creek just south of Carlyle.
Built in 1898, the bridge consists of three deck girder spans, approached by a steel stringer span on either side. In addition, the bridge is set onto both concrete and stone substructures.
In 1947, the bridge received an extensive reconstruction, including a new ballasted deck and repaired substructures. It appears that all steel spans are original to the bridge.
This style of bridge is commonly used to cross creeks and roads, as it is easy to construct and maintain.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in excellent condition. It currently carries the Prairie Spirit Rail Trail.
The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant due to the common design. The bridge is easily accessible from South Dakota Road or Adams Street, both of which run underneath the structure.
The photo above is an overview.