Historic Homes and Businesses in Carver - Carver County Historical ...

and Washburn, who wanted to create railroad connections between Minneapolis and the
rich agricultural farmlands and markets in southern Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, and
Illinois, while making a bypass of the busy and expensive Chicago.
In 1870-71 land acquisition for the railroad occurred in Carver and surrounding
communities along the proposed route. St. Louis Park‟s name was derived from the
railroad as it passed through that community. In Carver at least one house had to be
removed from the railroad right-of-way, the home of William Benson, which he had just
built and moved into in June 1870. Benson‟s house was moved to a new location by
Capt. Charles Johnson, a Civil War veteran, who had been awarded the house-moving
contract. Johnson, a carpenter by trade, was a Carver resident whose home yet stands at
116 Third Street West in Carver. William Benson is perhaps the same person who later
became Carver County Superintendent of Schools. During the late summer grading
crews were working at various points along the railroad‟s right-of-way. In late
September 1870 a grading crew of about 40 men were working near Carver steamboat
Capt. James Houghton‟s house, with another 60 men to join them shortly. By December
1870 the grading was completed between Carver and the Hennepin County line.
The winter of 1870-1871 was a mild one, so that crews were able to work through the
winter. In early February 1871 contractors were exploring around Chaska, looking for
dirt to fill and raise the landscape for the railroad tracks up to the Minnesota River bank
at Carver. Some of the dirt taken perhaps came from byproduct soils taken from the
Chaska brickyards. By the end of February crews began driving piles and filling in dirt
on two miles of bottomland across the river from Carver. This was completed by the end
of June. In March 1871 a barge was built and work commenced on driving piles for the
bridge across the Minnesota River. By mid-March the center pier was nearly completed
and teams were hauling “Merriam red rock”stone from a Louisville Township quarry for
all three of the bridge piers. By about mid-August the laying of the rails began on the
Carver end, with crews working at almost a mile-a-day clip. In September 1871 grading
and then construction began for the Minneapolis-St. Louis Railway Carver depot.
Represented by Carver attorney Frank Warner, the Minneapolis-St.Louis Railroad
officers in late October 1871 asked for the $20,000 in bonds that was voted to them, and
a spectial town meeting was to be called for the purpose of issuing the bonds
By November 1871 the Minnesota River crossing bridge was in place at Carver that
paved the way for raiload expansion to destinations south. By November 11, track was
laid across the river from Carver and on to Mirriam Junction for immediate rail traffic.
Along with the railroad bed and track a telegraph line was installed along the railroad.
Shortly after the completion of the bridgework, construction began in September on the
Minneapolis-St. Louis Railway Carver depot.
On Saturday, November 25, 1871 a grand opening run of the Minneapolis-St. Louis
Railroad was made between Louisville in Scott County, through Carver and Chaska, and
on to Minneapolis for a joyous dinner. More than 1,000 invited guests along the route
made the run. The railroad was important to Minneapolis, and played a role in turning