Railroads in Kansas

Kansas Pacific Railroad

Union Pacific Eastern Division

Union Pacific Railway--Kansas Division

ROUTE:

Wyandotte County

Kansas City (Sept. 1863), Muncie, Edwardsville, Forest Lake, Sunflower, Bonner Springs,

Leavenworth County

Lenape (Armstrong), Linwood, Fall Leaf (Horne),

Douglas County

Lawrence Junction (Nov. 1864) (--> Leavenworth Branch)(--> Carbondale Branch), Midland,

Jefferson County

Buck Creek, Williamstown, Perry, Medina, Newman, Grantville,

Shawnee County

Topeka (1865), Menoken, Silver Lake, Kingsville, Rossville,

Pottawatomie County

St. Mary's Mission, Belvue, Wamego, St. George,

Riley County

Manhattan (1865/1866), Ogden,

Geary (Davis) County

Pawnee, Fort Riley, Junction City (Oct./Nov. 1866)(--> Junction City and Fort Kearney Branch),

Dickinson County

Chapman, Detroit, Abilene (1866/1867), Solomon City (--> Solomon Branch),

Saline County

New Cambria, Salina (Apr. 1867)(--> Salina and Southwestern Branch), Bavaria, Brookville (1867),

Ellsworth County

Rock Spring, Carneiro, Summit Siding, Ellsworth (Jun 1867), Black Wolf, Wilson,

Russell County

Dorrance, Bunker Hill, Russell (1867), Gorham,

Ellis County

Walker, Victoria, Hays (Oct. 1867), Ellis (1867),

Trego County

Ogallah, Trego (WaKeeney), Voda, Collyer,

Gove County

Quinter, Buffalo Park (Park), Grainfield, Grinnell, Campus,

Logan (St. John) County

Carlyle (Oakley), Monument, Page City, Winona,

Wallace County

Wallace (Ft. Wallace), Sharon Springs, Monotony (Weskan), Kansas/Colorado line (1870),

Arapaho, Cheyenne Wells, First View, Kit Carson, Mirage, Hugo, Limon (1870), Deer Trail, Byers, Bennett, Magnolia, Denver, CO, (western terminus) (Aug. 1870).

The Kansas Pacific was a southern branch of the Union Pacific. In September 1863, the Kansas Pacific Railroad began building the main line for passengers (immigrants) westward across the Great Plains -- from Kansas City--Wyandotte to Denver, CO. The Kansas Pacific was the long-line railroad in the state for two or three years.

The first 40 miles was open in 1864 (from Wyandotte to Lawrence).

(Oct./Nov. 1866) -- One thing that added greatly to the growth and importance of Junction City after the completion of the Kansas Pacific Railroad to that point, was the fact that it was made the end of the first division of the road. This of course, necessitated the building of a roundhouse, and other workshops at that place which naturally drew a good many people to settle in the town.

Leavenworth became one of the termini, connection with the main line being made at Lawrence. In November 1866, trains commenced to run from Leavenworth to Junction City.

Through the efforts of Col. William A. Phillips, the Union Pacific Railroad was extended to Salina in 1867.

In 1868 it became the Kansas Pacific so that it was easier to refer to it.

Building starts to slow up possibly due to financial problems 1867/1869.

On April 3, 1870 the division was changed from Junction City to Wamego.

It remained the Kansas Pacific until it was consolidated with the Union Pacific in 1880 and takes that name again.

Hoxie, Kansas was named for a vice president of the railroad when the Union Pacific decided to come through Sheridan County.

Skiddy, Kansas was named for a railroad man, Francis Skiddy of New York, a magnate of the Union Pacific Railroad.

SOURCES:

Andreas, A. T. HISTORY OF THE STATE OF KANSAS. Chicago. 1883

Jensen, Oliver. History of Railroads in America. New York: American Heritage Wings Books. 1975

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