Historic Railroad Map of the Midwest - 1874

Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway.

In 1858, Minnesota was made the thirty-second state, with St. Paul as capital. St. Paul grew quickly from that point with increased farming and manufacturing opportunities, and improved railroad facilities.

Copper began to be mined in the area of Duluth, and then iron ore. An extension of the Lake Superior & Mississippi Railroad from St. Paul was added in the late 1860's. This railroad line enabled Duluth to transport the region’s iron ore and cut timber more easily and Duluth prospered greatly because of it.

West St. Paul was annexed in 1874. In that year the legislature moved to alter the boundaries of Ramsey and Dakota counties and incorporate West St. Paul. Bridge toll fees were removed at that time. Twenty million bushels of wheat were then being marketed annually through St. Paul.

During the 1870's wheat was gradually being replaced by iron and steel as the most transported product through Minneapolis and St. Paul. In 1868 the North Chicago Rolling Mill Company erected, what was then, America's largest steel mill, in Milwaukee. It was used to process iron ore from the valuable mineral regions that had been discovered earlier in Dodge County. The vast mill employed over one thousand workers mainly producing railway rails. The mill would later become part of the U.S. Steel Company.

This map and surrounding views was published in 1874 by Rand, McNally & Co. Views include the "Jaws of the Dells", "Fort Snelling, MN", "Dells of the Wisconsin-Inkstand & Sugar Bowl", "Templar Rock, Lake Pepin", "Vizor Ledge, east of Stand Rock", and "The Maiden's Rock, on Lake Pepin".

The work also provides lists of railway stations along the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad's routes, by state. In regards to its railway dining cars the railroad states: "Ample time for meals at the best railway eating houses in the country, under the supervision of those Princes of the Art Cuisine, Fox, Johnson & Williams."

There is an inset map of the business district of Chicago.