In June 1871, the St. Louis, Chillicothe, & Omaha Railroad (later known as the Wabash and still later the Norfolk & Western) completed a new rail line as far west as the town site which was to become Jameson, MO.
This is the Wabash Depot at Pattonsburg, MO, soon after the 1909 flood of the Grand River. (courtesy Carman Antiques)
The Wabash Railroad Depot at Pattonsburg, MO, in 1912. (courtesy Crystal Hathaway)
In June 1871, the St. Louis, Chillicothe, and Omaha Railroad (later known as the Wabash and eventually the Norfolk and Western) completed a new rail line as far west as the town site which was to become Jameson. On Oct. 2, 1871, the town of Jameson was designated, named after an official of the railroad. The post office was moved to Jameson from Feurt Summit in October, 1871, and John A. Brown was the first postmaster. This new shipping point would serve a large area, mainly to the east, north and west as there was no railroad in these areas, and it opened up a market for the farm produce raised here. During October and November of 1871, some 24 cars of grain and 53 cars of livestock were shipped from the new town.
This is the Wabash Train Depot at Gallatin, MO, looking southward from the junction of the Wabash and Rock Island tracks in the Grand River bottoms east of town. This line leading north through Pattonsburg “opened up the vast prairies of Iowa and Nebraska to the lumber regions of this county… probably a million feet of lumber has been sent west annually since this road was completed,” a 12-year period. (date unknown)
This post card scene shows the junction of two railroad lines east of the Grand River at Gallatin, MO, in 1909. The Wabash line bisected the county north-south while the Rock Island ran across Daviess County east-west. At right is the Groves Hotel.
This business card was advertised for sale online (on Ebay during June, 2019) for the Groves’ Hotel at the Wabash Crossing of the Grand River just east of Gallatin, MO. The card was dated 1893 in the advertising presentation, and is believed to be authentic; this image is taken from the online sale website.
Flooding at the Wabash Crossing depot, located east of Gallatin (circa 1930s, courtesy Juanita Pittman, KC)
This car belonging to Harley Pittman was parked at the Rock Island train depot at Gallatin, MO, in 1948. (courtesy Juanita Pittman, KC)
Emmette Pittman and John Courter are shown at the Wabash Crossing train depot, east of Gallatin, MO, in 1926. Pittman was telegrapher and clerk while Courter was the agent at the crossing of the Rock Island and the Wabash train lines. (courtesy Juanita Pittman, KC)
Emmette Pittman is jumping a train at the Wabash Crossing near Gallatin, MO, in 1927. (courtesy Juanita Pittman, KC)
These are the men who ran the Wabash Depot at Gallatin, MO, during the period between 1927-33. They are John E. Courter, Emmette Pittman, Robinson and Curley Yates; not shown are Jess Binney and Delbert Mooney. (courtesy Juanita Pittman, KC)
This small home of yesteryear was typical of many which dotted the landscape of rural America. This particular house was located along the Wabash Railroad near Gallatin, MO, not far from the train depot in the Grand River bottoms. (date unknown)
The impact of the railroad in the development of rural America cannot be overstated. Gallatin’s prominence was fueled in no small way be being the crossroads of two railroads. This scene shows the Wabash Depot east of the Grand River near Gallatin, MO. (circa 1955)
In its latter years of operation, railroad depots were no longer built to please passengers but were constructed for utilitarian purposes. This small garage served as the Wabash Depot at Gallatin, MO, in 1966.
The Wabash Train Depot at Lock Springs, MO (date unknown)
The Grand River frequently flooded during yesteryear, especially before trenching the river in southeast Daviess County eased the backup of high waters. Damages to railroads were not uncommon. These unidentified photos are thought to be scenes taken in Daviess County river bottoms after flood waters began to recede. (photos courtesy Lillie A. Skaar, date unknown)
Miles of railroad within Daviess County: Quincy, Omaha & Kansas City — 13.13 miles; Wabash — 35.81 miles; Rock Island (main line) — 28.26 miles; Rock Island, St. Joseph branch — 7.07 miles; Kansas City, Peoria & Chicago — 6.39 miles. By rail, St. Joseph, Omaha, Leavenworth and Kansas City are within a few hours; St. Louis and Chicago are within a night’s run. (map dated 1902)
This railroad passenger ticket was found in a trunk of keepsakes with no other explanation other than the handwritten destination to “Gallatin” from “St. Louis.” Ticket takers would simply punch the appropriate numbers to validate the passenger as paid for the correct date of use.
