Snapshots of History

By Editor | August 20, 2025 |

By Mike Avitt
I was looking at the history of Gentry, Missouri and I was reminded of the unusual path (literally and figuratively) the Chicago, Burlington, & Quincy RR took in reaching St. Joseph, Mo. from Chariton, Iowa. Let’s see if I can get the entire history in one article.
The Burlington & Missouri River Railroad reached Chariton from the east in 1867. The B&MR, a main line, focused on reaching the Missouri River, which they did in 1870. Now the railroad could begin construction of branch lines. A line was started heading south out of Chariton in late 1871, reaching Leon in 1872. By, 1872, the B&MR had been absorbed by the Chicago, Burlington, & Quincy RR.
This branch line stalled at Leon until 1879.
One possible reason for this was the CB&Q’s branch line out of Creston, which laid it’s rail to Maryville, Mo. in 1872. There, the CB&Q met a railroad from St. Joseph built by another company. It was common for railroads to lease lines from other railroads. So, now the CB&Q had a line connecting to St. Joseph.
However, the county seat towns of Mount Ayr, Bethany, and Grant City were still without a railroad. In 1879, The Leon, Mount Ayr, and Southern Railroad laid tracks south out of Leon to Davis City and Lamoni. Then the line headed northwest to Tuskeego, Kellerton, and Mount Ayr. This is definitely not heading toward St. Joseph. But, the CB&Q had a plan.
In 1880, the railroad put in a junction one mile east of Lamoni and started laying tracks for Bethany. This line included Andover, Blythedale, Ridgeway, and Gardner along the way. In 1881, the line was extended west to Albany, Mo.
Albany was already connected to St. Joseph by way of a narrow gauge railroad. Narrow guage rails were usually 3 feet, 6 inches apart, while standard gauge was 4 feet, 8.5 inches. Why narrow gauge? A couple of reasons I know.
Narrow gauge was popular in Europe so it is believed British investors in American railroads preferred narrow gauge. Also, narrow gauge railroads were cheaper to build.
There was another narrow gauge railroad in the area, that being the Des Moines, Osceola, & Southern running from Des Moines to Cainsville, Mo. The DM,O&S was widened to standard gauge about 1882. The one from Albany to St. Joseph in 1884. Now back to the CB&Q.
Also in 1880, the CB&Q extended the line from Mount Ayr to Grant City, Mo. creating the town of Delphos and passing through Redding, Iowa and Irena, Missouri. This branch line terminated at Grant City for the next nineteen years.
For whatever reason, the CB&Q laid rails south out of Grant City and connected with a junction just southwest of Albany. This was in 1899 and created the towns of Worth and Gentry, both named for the county they were located in. This line did not pass through any existing towns, which I find unusual. So now the CB&Q had a line from Chariton to St. Joseph that split at Lamoni and re-connected at Albany.
The first portion of this line to be abandoned was between Grant City and Mount Ayr in 1945. The line from Lamoni to Mt. Ayr was discontinued within a year of 1975. Service to Lamoni ceased in 1981.
What we have left is the history and some physical evidence. I can still see the railroad bed in many areas. Plus, the CB&Q depots at Mount Ayr, Albany, Bethany, Leon, and Lamoni are still standing and all are restored.
The CB&Q and B&MR Railroads began building this line in 1871 and finished in 1899. It took a total of twenty-eight years. It’s about time!