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April 2002

Have you ever approached one of Hampton's railroad crossings and been startled by a locomotive frantically sounding its whistle, passing through pulling a half dozen or so, nondescript rail cars? This is a remnant from what was once a busy railroad with a station here in Hampton. The station stood at the crossing at 6th St on the site which now holds the home of the Mann family.

In the last 30 years of the 19th century there were 4 passenger trains running through both ways every day but Sunday. Three of them made regular stops at Hampton station. There was also a regular freight train each way, stopping here to deliver the goods that would be sold in Hampton's stores. If you wanted to go to Moline or Rock Island or the other way to Port Byron or Cordova you probably would take the train. My wife's grandfather, Henry McNeal, lived in Watertown and as a boy took the train to and from Port Byron Academy, every day. He wasn't the only one! We've grown up with the automobile and tend to forget it has not always been with us.

The first railroad through Hampton was started by the Warsaw & Rockford Railroad Co. They went broke before getting to Port Byron. The Sterling & Rock Island RR picked up the pieces and put the line through to Port Byron by 1860. They didn't get much farther but after a series of changes the road linked, Galena, Rockford, and Sterling. Eventually this became the Chicago, Milwawkee, St Paul, and Pacific Line.

Hampton Historian George McNabney quotes from a Rock Island Argus article of November 5, 1860: "The iron is now laid to Port Byron and cars will soon be running on the road. A grand ball will come off in Port Byron on Thursday evening, November 15, in honor of the event". Apparently, McNabney was very impressed with this big party because he describes it in some detail. The train from Rock Island stopped in Hampton and took on a number of our citizens, joining a large crowd from Rock Island. McNabney says "The first citizens of Hampton were there and the party included the fairest of Rock Island's fair daughters". A Mr Boomer who owned the railroad was present. Upon arrival in Port Byron the company, led by Storm's Band (whoever they were) marched from the cars to The DeSoto House where dancing began. (Any of you readers know anything about the DeSoto House? I assume it was a hotel). The dancing continued to the wee hours of the morning. We can guess our Hamptonians danced with a good many of the fair daughters. McNabney thought the music was good but the food was better. He compliments a man named Lowery and says he outdid himself. I assume Lowery ran the DeSoto House. There were speeches by Mr Boomer and several other bigwigs. McNabney had such a good time at this bash he even makes a joke, saying "Boomer proved himself a perfect 'Boomerang' his generosity sweeping over the entire company". I didn't say McNabney made good jokes but any kind is unusual in his writings. At 4 AM the whole group loaded on the train and went home.

Our town's other historian, Morris Heagy, also had a lot to say about the railroad. He relates how the first depot burned down around 1880. Heagy was a teen ager and his father subscribed for an edition of "The Encyclopedia Brittanica". The books cost $ 7.00 per Volume and were delivered by express as fast as they were published. One morning young Morris's dad was going away on business. An edition of the book had come in so he paid for it and told Morris to bring it home. As soon as the elder Heagy boarded the train the younger Heagy, as boys are prone to do, forgot about it and got involved in other in other things. That night lightning struck the depot, burning it to the ground along with the new book. So Mr Heagy was forced to shell out another $ 7.00. Morris expected to be punished, but, as he says, his dad was a kind hearted man.

The new depot was built just south of the old. The boys in town tended to hang around depots. They were part of what was then the cutting edge of technology. Commonly, boys had ambitions to work on the railroad. Also, the depot had a telegraph instrument and this was possibly more fascinating than the railroad. A number of the boys set out to learn telegraphy, including young Heagy. Two of his cronies actually became telegraphers. Charlie Stevens and Eugene McNabney (I don't know his connection with George but I'm sure there is one) actually became "students" at Port Byron Junction and became telegraphers. By the way, Port Byron Junction wasn't in Port Byron but rather in what is now East Moline, about where you see a couple of cabooses if you drive down 12th Ave. The only inhabitants in East Moline at that time were frogs.