Snapshots of History: Kellerton Depot

By Editor | May 7, 2025 |

Kellerton depot around 1911.

This picture postcard appeared on Facebook recently and I love it.
The picture was posted by Tami Foster and shows, not only the Kellerton depot, but the surrounding rail yard. The photographer was situated in an upstairs window of the Odd Fellows building across the street with the camera pointing northwest.
The card was postmarked March 4, 1912.
1912 was a severe winter for us so I think this card was produced in November or December of 1911 as there are patches of snow in the photo, but not like the blizzards that came in January, February, and March of 1912.
Kellerton was the first town in Ringgold County to see the trains come and that was in 1879. The rails ran east-west about a half block north of the present-day post office.
I didn’t find the photographer’s name, but I found mention of a photo gallery in Kellerton during the years 1908 to 1912. This was the height of the picture postcard era.
Photographer M. G. Maxwell, of Mount Ayr, would come to Kellerton on occasion and use the gallery.
In the photo is clearly seen the depot with the coal shed directly north of the side track. The outhouse is not visible so I’m guessing it is blocked by the depot. There is a large building to the left on the side track. It is certainly for shipping or receiving, but I cannot make out the exact nature of this warehouse or storeroom.
I can also see a freight platform across the street east with a baggage cart in front of it. There is a gas lamp light post to the left of the platform.
I know from other photos the stock pens are out of view to the right in this photo.
There are four men posing for the picture and I’m sure station agent R. R. Field is one of them. The other three appear to be members of the section crew.
We can see concrete sidewalks which would help us establish a time frame if the post card were not marked.
In the top center we can see the Christian Church which was built in 1906 and still stands today. I know the houses north of the depot are not standing because that is where the Grand Hotel was built 1913. I will be looking at other houses in this photo to see if any are still standing.
There is a ladder visible propped up on the manual train order signal. The agent would climb the ladder and change the signal by hand. The ladder usually hung on hooks and was not left in place over time. This beautiful train station burnt to the ground on August 15, 1934. That was a very hot and dry summer and the depot went up like a tinder box.
Kellerton was in the midst of a building boom in 1911-12.
Lewis Aiken bought three lots on Decatur Street and built a brick barber shop for W. E. Wheeler. Then a double brick was built next door to that which housed Lew Brown’s jewelry store and a cafe for Webb & Asberry. 1912 was the year Kellerton got electricity from a plant in Lamoni.
Also, Kellerton had a high school football team during these years. George Bartow was the high school principal.
Mr. Bartow would play a large role in Mount Ayr history when, in 1919, he bought the fire-damaged and dilapidated Mount Ayr Hotel. He had the old beauty remodeled, restored, and modernized. The hotel would last another sixty-five years.
I’m always looking for historic photographs and information. I can scan pictures and return your original back to you. My number is 641-344-0482.