Columbus Junction, IA

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The first train of cars on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific was run to what was then known as a sand bank on the 17th day of November, 1857 and was the end of the road until September, 1858, when it was completed to Washington. The station at the sand bank was then discontinued, and a station at Clifton established.

It was not until it was decided that the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota Railroad should cross at this point that a town was decided upon. On the 29th day of December, 1869, August Gilbert came to the sand bank for the purpose of looking up a location. Deciding to locate here, he returned to Muscatine, where he was then residing, had a house framed, loaded upon the cars of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, and shipped to Clifton station, and from there had it transported to the sand bank and put together, and on the 8th day of February, 1870, opened it up as a restaurant and boarding-house, and did a very large business. The building stood about 200 feet east of the present Gilbert House, and was in dimensions 18×24 feet, and a story and a half in height. It was in this house that the first white child in Columbus Junction was born. May 15, 1870, Carrie, daughter of August and Anna Gilbert. Mr. Gilbert is still a resident of Columbus Junction, and is engaged in the same line of business, opposite the Union Depot.

In view of the fact of the town and township of Columbus City having voted aid for the construction of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Minnesota Railroad, they were permitted to name the town, and called it Columbus Junction, from the fact of its being the junction of the two railroads.

When Wortham & Co. purchased the town site of Mr. Garner, they did so with a view of pushing the place, and making its advantages known. The company built the Wortham House, the lower story being used for storerooms, and the upper stories for hotel purposes. In this building was started, July 10, 1872, the Louisa County National Bank, of which Andrew Gamble was President, and John W. True Cashier. E. M. Sargent and M. Carter, under the firm name of Sargent of the same year, when he removed it to a frame building on Walnut street, on the present site of the Hotel Hedrick. In February, 1881, he removed it to the second storeroom in the Murdock Block, where it remained until April 20. 1887, when it was removed to opposite its present location on Main street, in one of the buildings destroyed by the fire of 1888. Mr. Fulton continued to serve as Postmaster until Sept. 14, 1886, covering a period of twelve years and five months, when he was succeeded by George P. Neal, the incumbent. The money order department was established July 1, 1887, and it now does a business amounting to about $15,000 per year. The sale of stamps amounts to about $1,900 per year. The office became a presidential one Feb. 12, 1883, and was designated as a distributing office Sept. 14. 1887. The transfer of registered mail at this office is exceeded by but few offices in the West.

The first express package over the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railroad from Columbus Junction was sent on Monday, Feb. 21, 1870, and consisted of a money package of $235, sent to Hon. George Robertson, of Burlington, by Wesley W. Garner, of Columbus City.

For the first two years the town grew quite rapidly, and at the March term of the Circuit Court a petition was presented asking that it should be incorporated under the general laws. The court appointed C. M. Fulton, M. Wheelock, S. W. True, W. F. Hall and William Todd, Commissioners, as provided in the chapter of the Iowa Code for the incorporation of cities and towns. On the 25th day of May, 1874, an election was held at the postoffice, at which there were fifty-five votes cast for incorporation and seventeen against. The following officers were duly elected: Mayor, C. M. Fulton; Councilmeu, George W. Merrill, O. E. Hobbie, Robert Foster,Theo. Crilley, A. T. Lewis; Attorney, R. H. Hanna; Recorder, W. F. Hall. At the first meeting of the Council J. R. Smith was appointed Marshal, but declining to serve, August Damen was appointed in his place.