This line would be completed in 1857, and by 1858 the Iowa Southern Junction Railroad began construction on an extension into Fort Madison. This would be completed in 1859 by the Iowa Southern Railroad.
These two railroads would become a part of the Keokuk and St. Paul Railway in 1866. By 1867, the line would be extended to Burlington, Iowa where it would meet a mainline. The line would be completed in late 1869.
Far south of Iowa, a railroad known as the Clarksville and Western Railroad begun construction of a 54 mile line stretching from St. Peters, Missouri to Louisiana, Missouri.
Similarly, the Mississippi Valley and Western Railway completed a 34 mile segment from West Quincy, Missouri to Buena Vista, Iowa in 1872. This segment was started by the Mississippi and Missouri River Air Line Railroad in 1868.
In 1873, the Clarksville and Western Railroad was purchased by the Mississippi Valley and Western Railway in 1873. This railroad would complete segments from West Quincy to Hannibal, Missouri and from Lousiana to Clarksville.
In 1875, the railroad would become part of the St. Louis, Keokuk and North Western Railway. This railroad would complete the line between Buena Vista, Iowa and St. Peters Missouri in 1879.
Finally, in 1881; the railroad built a portion from Buena Vista to Keokuk. This created a continuous line between St. Peters and Burlington.
After a rename in 1887, the St. Louis, Keokuk and North Western Railroad built a final 49 miles from Cuivre Junction (at Old Monroe) to St. Louis in 1892. The entire line was considered critical to the development of industry along the Mississippi River.
Both the Keokuk and St. Paul Railway, as well as the St. Louis, Keokuk and North Western Railroad were purchased by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railway in 1901. The CB&Q had been constructing a significant amount of track throughout the midwest.
In 1907, the 10 mile spur to St. Peters would be abandoned, considered unnecessary.
The remainder of the line remained critical to the CB&Q, which would eventually merge with the Northern Pacific and Great Northern to form Burlington Northern in 1970.
By 1996, the thriving BN decided to merge with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe to form BNSF Railway, the current owner of the line. It currently sees a solid traffic base, and is operated as the Hannibal Subdivision.
06/26/21
This large truss bridge is the final bridge across the Skunk River, before its confluence with the Mississippi River.
The bridge features a pair of 180' Pratt Through Trusses. These spans each has 9 panels and pinned connections, which have been rebuilt with riveted plates.
Approaching on the south end are a number of modular concrete slab spans. These spans replaced a more traditional and historic type of concrete slab. In addition, a single I-Beam span crosses a farm access road.
The bridge is set onto concrete substructures. The southern truss has received an additional H-Pile bracing, indicating that the bridge is likely in poor condition. This may be as a result of the Flood of 2008, which also may be related to the reconstruction of the approach.
The bridge can easily be accessed from US-61. The author has ranked the bridge as locally significant due to the reconstruction of the bridge, and the deteriorated condition. In addition, the bridge is a rather common design along former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Lines.
The photo above is an overview. The author plans on taking more photographs in the near future.
| Upstream | BNSF Skunk River Bridge (Rome) |
| Downstream | Confluence With Mississippi River |