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<p>In the late 19th Century, electric interurban railways became popular throughout the United States, particularly in suburban and rural areas. In rural areas, the interurban represented a reliable form of transportation, independent of the steam railroads. In 1904, the Bloomington, Pontiac & Joliet Railway (BP&J) was incorporated to construct an interurban line, extending from Bloomington to Pontiac and Joliet, Illinois. Construction on the line began in 1905, and 20 miles between Pontiac and Dwight were completed that year. Grading and bridge work was continued in 1906 with an extension to Chenoa, but this section was never completed. The BP&J would be replaced by the personal automobile, and the railroad would be shut down in 1925. Today, little grading and some bridges and culverts remain from the short lived interurban.<br></p>
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