Narrow Gauge Depot Museum - Lewistown, IL - History Museums on Waymarking.com

County of museum: Fulton County
Location of museum: Washington Ave. & Jefferson St., Lewistown

"The Fulton County Narrow Gauge Railroad Company was formally organized October 9, 1878. Construction began in October 1878, and in 1879 one engine and seventeen cars were purchased. The first train arrived at Lewistown from Cuba on August 16, 1880 and continued to run for 25 years, extending its route to include 61 miles of 3 foot gauge tracks that ran south from Galesburg to West Havana with stops at Levingston, Delong, London Mills, Oak Mount, Fairview, Bybee, Fiatt, Put Creek, Cuba, Phillips, Lewistown, Sepo, and Havana. This often overlooked brick building on the corner of Washington and Jefferson Streets in Lewistown, IL is the last reminder of the Fulton County Narrow Gauge Railroad. Recently the Lewistown Society for Historic Preservation purchased the building and converted it into a museum. The site is also the home of a caboose which is available for tours." ~ City of Lewistown

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Historic Marker on Site reads:

Narrow Gauge Depot

Railroad ran from Lewistown to Fairview
Completed early 1880's
Later Extended Havana To Galesburg.

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William T. Davidson suggested in 1878 a railroad would benefit the community running from Havana to Lewistown, Cuba, Fairview and on to Galesburg. The Narrow Gauge Railway had 61 miles of railway with 180 curves (the curves were the reason for the nickname of "Peavine") with the train running from Fairview to Havana

Engine #1 pulled the first train from the northern Fairview terminus on October 28, 1880. The first train from Lewistown to Galesburg left at 10:00 a.m. on July 31, 1882 with one engine, one baggage car and one of the new coaches. In August 1882, the railway ran completely from Galesburg to Havana in 3 hours and 15 minutes. In 1905 the C.B. & Q had taken over the railway and installed standard gauge between Lewistown & Galesburg. The C.B. & Q petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission to abandon the "Peavine" on April 23, 1934.

Theme: All things narrow gauge in railroading Street Address: 101-221 N Jefferson St, Lewistown, IL 61542 Food Court: no Gift Shop: no Hours of Operation: All Museum hours are by appointment by calling 309-547-4301. Cost: 0.00 (listed in local currency) Museum Size: Medium Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]

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