Marquand has a lovely park in the center of town on the former right-of-way of the Belmont Railroad. In the park is a segment from the railroad bridge that crossed the Castor River south of town. The cache is not in the park, but close enough that the kids can play while you seek GZ. Street parking is available nearby. Please replace this cache exactly as you found it so others may enjoy the search.
The Belmont Branch Railroad was built by the Saint Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad (StIM&S) in attempt to connect the town of Bismark, MO and its adjacent towns, with important markets east of the Mississippi River. The line was built in 1869 from the StLIM&S mainline at Bismark southeasterly to Belmont, 120 miles away, where a ferry connected the StLIM&S on the west side of the Mississippi River with the Mobile & Ohio Railroad on the east side. In addition, the railway also played an important role in developing local mining and lumber industries along its length. Fredericktown served as the home of the StLIM&S's division point and maintenance shops. Towns along the route include Bismark, Farmington, Knob Lick, Fredericktown, Marquand, Marble Hill, Delta, Allenville, Oran and Charleston. Smaller communities that existing along the route have disappeared.
In 1915, the StLIM&S fell into receivership, and was merged into Jay Gould's Missouri Pacific Railroad in 1917. At this time, passenger service along the line ceased, and the MP continued freight service only. The line was abandoned in two different segments; the northern half was abandoned in 1972, and the southern half in 1984. A small portion of the line was used between Delta and Allenville for a short while, but it has been abandoned as well. More comments about this rail line can be found at http://www.abandonedrails.com/Belmont_Branch
Placed with permission of the Marquand Development Corporation and the Village of Marquand.