Histories:  Trempealeau County Historical Accounts:

"History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917":

Chapter 13:




Trempealeau County owes much of its development to its railroads, which, crossing its northern, central and southern portions, give the best of shipping facilities within easy distance of nearly every farm, and have been the means of the upbuilding of many a thriving village.  The projected line from Blair to Ettrick will tap another rich region, and give still further impetus to the agricultural life of the county.

One village, however, suffered from the coming of the railroads.  Trempealeau in 1870 was a great wheat market, and its river shipping business brought to its river front the farm produce of a vast region, extending as far as fifty miles to the interior.  The railroad weakened the steamboat industry, and diverted much of the agricultural produce to crossroads shipping points, while much of the shipping trade of this region was diverted to La Crosse and Winona.