Burlington, Cedar Rapids, and Northern Railroad-Rock Rapids Station, Railroad Track and Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rock Rapids
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| Former Rock Island Line passenger station | ||
The station in April 2005.
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| Location | 255–399 North Story Street, Rock Rapids, Iowa 51246 | |
| Platforms | 1 | |
| History | ||
| Opened | 1886 | |
| Former services | ||
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Burlington, Cedar Rapids, and Northern Railroad-Rock Rapids Station, Railroad Track and Bridge
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | N. Story St. Rock Rapids, Iowa |
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| Area | less than one acre | |
| Built | 1886 | |
| Built by | Cedar Rapids, Iowa Falls and Northwestern Railway | |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000783 | |
| Added to NRHP | November 7, 1976 | |
The Burlington, Cedar Rapids, and Northern Railroad-Rock Rapids Station, Railroad Track and Bridge is a special place in Rock Rapids, Iowa. It is a historic district, which means it's a group of buildings and structures that are important to history. This district includes an old train station, railroad tracks, and a bridge.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. This list recognizes places that are important to the history of the United States.
A Look Back at the Railroad
Railroads first came to Lyon County in 1885. The Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway (BCR&N) planned to build a train line. This line would connect Little Rock, Iowa to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, passing through Rock Rapids.
Local people and the county helped pay for the project. The train line was finished in 1886. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa Falls and Northwestern Railway, a company connected to BCR&N, built the tracks and buildings.
The Station and Bridge
The train station, also called a depot, is a building with one and two stories. It is made of wood. The outside of the building has a special design called the Stick style. This style uses decorative wooden patterns. The single-story part of the station was used as a warehouse to store goods.
The bridge, known as Bridge No. 2834, is about 550 feet (168 meters) long. It has a curved shape. This bridge is a Plate girder bridge, which means it's made of strong steel plates. It has nine sections, called spans.
Two spans cross the main part of the Rock River. Six spans cross Island Park, and the last span crosses another part of the Rock River. Near the station, there is also a hand switch on the tracks. This switch allowed workers to change which track a train would take.
The Station Today
The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad later took over the train line and facilities. However, the train tracks were no longer used by the mid-1970s.
Since 1973, the Lyon County Historical Society has owned the old train station. They have turned it into a museum. This museum helps people learn about the history of the railroad and the area.
