St. Joseph & Denver City Railway.
The St. Joseph & Denver City Railway, extending from St. Joseph, Missouri, to St. Paul, Nebraska, was chartered by the Legislature of Kansas, on February 17, 1857, as the Marysville, Palmetto & Roseport Railroad Company, with authority to build a line of road from either of the above-named places to a connection with the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, at or near Roseport (now Elwood), Kansas.
The railroad’s name was changed to St. Joseph & Denver City Railroad on April 17, 1862.
The Northern Kansas Railroad Company was consolidated with this company, and the right to lands was granted by act of Congress, on July 23, 1866, of 1,700,000 acres, which was thereby obtained. The capital stock was also increased to $10,000,000. Subscriptions from municipal corporations totaling $1,025,000, and from individuals to the extent of $1,400, were secured in aid of building the road.
The authority to build a road from the Nebraska State line to Fort Kearney, Nebraska, was obtained under the general law of Nebraska on August 11, 1866.
Work commenced, and 80 miles of the line were completed and put into operation in October 1870, at a cost of about $1,500,000. In 1871, the road was extended by 48 miles, and in the following year it was completed to Hastings, Nebraska, after which it passed into the hands of the Union Pacific Railroad.
In 1873, the St. Joseph & Denver City Railroad consisted of 19 locomotives and an assortment of passenger and freight cars in good condition.
In 1876, the St. Joseph & Denver City Railroad became the St. Joseph & Pacific Railroad.
In 1877, the St. Joseph & Pacific Railroad became the St. Joseph & Western Railroad.
It came under the control of the Union Pacific Railroad in the spring of 1879 and became its prominent outlet to St. Louis, Missouri, and other points to the southeast.
The Union Pacific Railroad extended it to Grand Island on its line of road during the summer of 1879, and in 1881 to St. Paul, the county seat of Howard County.
In 1885, the St. Joseph & Western Railroad became the St. Joseph & Marysville Railroad. Later that same year, the St. Joseph & Marysville Railroad became the St. Joseph & Grand Island Railroad.
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of Kansas, June 2026.
Also See:
A Century of Railroad Building
Railroads & Depot Photo Gallery
Sources:
Andreas, A.T., editor. History of the State of Nebraska. Western Historical Company, Chicago, IL, 1882.
St. Joseph Memory Lane