history

railroad

It ran from 6th and Massachusetts Street in Lawrence to Linwood, to Bonner Springs, and on to Kansas City over the Intercity Viaduct to 10th and Main in Kansas City, Missouri. It was completed in 1915. Of course, it was not a highway for cars, but it was a brand new means of transportation for everyone in this end of Leavenworth County.

The cars arrived in Linwood every hour on the hour going both ways. It was a single track, but we had a siding here for cars to pass. The first car to arrive was at 7:00 A.M. The last car was at 12:00 midnight.

The Fort to Fort Highway and the new Kaw Valley Railroad were the beginning of bringing our towns closer together. Freight hauling was also a large revenue for the Kaw Valley Railroad. They gave the Union Pacific Railroad stiff competition in hauling freight from Lawrence and also from Kansas City. They built livestock holding pens just below the hill west of the depot on the west side of Park Street.

The original depot was at the north end of Main Street and was destroyed by fire in, about 1920. The second depot was in the old Creamery Building, one block east on the north side of the railroad track.

The Kaw Valley ceased its operation in 1938.

contributed by Ovid N. Snider

The Union Pacific railway has served Linwood for much of its history, and the Kaw Valley Railway System, an interurban line, also served the community from 1915 to 1938. 

 
"U.P. Depot at the last location, south end of Main Street." 
From a display in the Linwood Community Library 

If you would like to see a sample of the historical photos we have at the library, you may view our online photo album.