Iowa History Month: Tracking Down the Central Iowa Railway Company

In 1973, the newest railroad in the United States brought its first cargo to Iowa City. Born from the ashes of the Rock Island, the businessmen and farmers of the Central Iowa Railway made a valiant attempt to keep the Amish heartland of Iowa connected to each other and the world beyond. This presentation details the story of this railroad and how the story was unearthed: a vibrant cocktail of archival work, oral history, and—of all things—music!