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<p>Between 1857 and 1870, the Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad (D&SC) had acquired and constructed a mainline across central Iowa, extending from the Mississippi River at Dubuque, Iowa to the Missouri River at Sioux City, Iowa. The D&SC had operated under lease from the Illinois Central Railroad (IC) since 1867, and connected to the IC system by using a bridge across the Mississippi River at Dubuque. This line provided several opportunities for the construction of branch lines. In December 1887, the Cherokee & Dakota Railroad (C&D) completed a 59-mile branch line between Cherokee, Iowa and Onawa, Iowa. In February 1888, the C&D completed an additional 96 miles between Cherokee and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The C&D was conveyed to the IC-leased D&SC in 1888. These branch lines were constructed with the intent of serving small agricultural communities and the large terminal of Sioux Falls.</p><p>By the late 19th Century, the IC had developed and operated a sprawling railroad network in the central United States. This line served as a branch line for the company, furthering the reach of the IC system. In the 20th Century, the IC had become a respected railroad, connecting several major cities in the central United States. In 1942, the segment between Anthon, Iowa and Onawa was abandoned. The D&SC was fully merged into the IC in 1946. In 1972, the IC merged with the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad (GM&O) to form the Illinois Central Gulf (ICG). The segment between Washta, Iowa and Anthon was abandoned in 1977, followed by the segment between Cherokee and Washta in 1978. The northern branch line to Sioux Falls was abandoned in 1984. Today, much of the right-of-way has reverted to adjacent landowers, and has been plowed under for farm fields.</p>
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