
Narrow Gauge Depot - Lewistown, IL
Posted by:
YoSam.
N 40° 23.838 W 090° 09.414
15T E 741289 N 4475736
Now part of a auto tour in the fall called Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive.
Waymark Code: WMAAPP
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 12/14/2010
Views: 8
County of Station: Fulton County
Location of Station: Washington Ave. & Jefferson St., Lewistown
Historic Marker on Site reads:
Narrow Gauge Depot
Railroad ran from Lewistown to Fairview
Completed early 1880's
Later Extended Havana To Galesburg.
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.