EPISODE · Apr 20, 2026 · 1 MIN
This Week In Illinois History: First Railroad Crosses Mississippi River (April 22, 1856)
from This Week in Illinois History · host Clint Cargile
On April 22, 1856, crowds cheered and bands played in Rock Island, Ill., and Davenport, Iowa, as a train chugged across the first bridge to span the Mississippi River. The bridge connected the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad in Illinois and the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad in Iowa.
What this episode covers
On April 22, 1856, crowds cheered and bands played in Rock Island, Ill., and Davenport, Iowa, as a train chugged across the first bridge to span the Mississippi River. The bridge connected the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad in Illinois and the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad in Iowa.
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This Week In Illinois History: First Railroad Crosses Mississippi River (April 22, 1856)
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