Whitewood’s Railroad History
Inscription
In November of 1887, the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad pulled into Whitewood. This passenger and freight trains were the first to reach the Northern Black Hills from the East. Whitewood remained the end of the line for three years until Deadwood’s branch line and the main line to Belle Fourche were completed.
Fourteen trains a day rolled through Whitewood making the town an active community and social center for celebrations. The agricultural products of lumber, cattle, horses, sheep, poultry, grain, and flour were shipped out of the Whitewood Terminal. The Dust Bowl Days brought an end to the productivity of the area’s ranching and farming, and Whitewood businesses suffered.
By the 1940s, automobiles and highways began replacing passenger trains. Dedicated in 2016 by the City of Whitewood and the Mary Chilton DAR Foundation.
Location
Sources
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