The railroad brought so much to communities. Places that were stagnant or hard to reach, once the railroad arrived it opened up so many opportunities. It was that way in the tiny burg of Beardstown, Illinois.

In the 1870’s the St.Louis, Rock Island and Chicago railroads arrived in Beardstown. They linked The Illinois River towns to the main railroad lines. Now passengers and agricultural and river products could be easily transported along the river. For over 50 years, through the 1920’s trains were the main land transportation along the Illinois River. Bill and Cleveland worked on the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad.

Beardstown was a changing point for crew and passengers alike. This also meant that the railroad was the main industry for the community. I wonder how long our Bill Jorden, Sr. was a railroad man. He worked on the tracks during the good years of the railroad being in Beardstown and I’m sure it was a good job to provide for ones family, but a hard job too. Maybe he got the itch to get on that railroad and see more than Beardstown by working and dreaming on the railroad. What a beautiful photograph and a wonderful piece to the puzzle of who those who came before us were.

Photo courtesy of Wilma Holtman Ogden – Thank you Wilma 🙂