Mokane to Portland - Mokane, MO
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member YoSam.
N 38° 40.478 W 091° 52.236
15S E 598244 N 4281276
This segment is ONLY 9.1 mile long.
Waymark Code: WMT1WJ
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 09/11/2016
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Geo Ferret
Views: 0
Download this waymark:
.GPX File
.LOC File
.KML File (Google Earth)

County of marker: Callaway County
Location of marker: MO-C & Katy Trail State Park Trailhead, Mokane
Marker erected: 2000
Marker erected by: Missouri Department of Natural Resources

Marker text:
Mokane to Portland
The distance from Mokane to Portland is 9.1 miles. This segment of Katy Trail State Park has several outstanding sights, including an impressive railroad bridge, close-up views of the Missouri River and the geologic oddity of Standing Rock.

Shortly beyond the Mokane trailhead, the Katy Trail parallels Highway 94 to Auxvasse Creek at milepost 122.2. Although the 280-foot bridge over the Auxvasse no longer has a plate identifying the builder and year of constructions, if probably was built in the 1920s. [1926] Note the large blocks of cut limestone that form the two bridge piers.

Steedman (pronounced Stedman) developed with the railroad around 1893 and - like many towns in this section of the Katy Trail - is named after one of the railroad's St. Louis investors. At milepost 120.4, an uneroded plug of sandstone known as Standing Rock marks flood levels from as long as a century ago. Here, two wayside markers describe the rock and tell the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition in this area. The trail then passes through Reform Conservation Area starting at milepost 120.2. Among other recreational opportunities, the conservation area contains four fishing lakes.

After crossing Highway 94 at milepost 117.3, the Katy Trail is isolated from the highway for the next six miles. Offering a more wilderness like experience. Trail users have excellent views of the river from just past this highway crossing until Portland.

History of Mark:
The Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (MKT)
Begun in the 1870s, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, also known as the Katy, ran through much of the Missouri River valley by the 1890s. With the Pacific Railroad running from St. St. Louis to Jefferson City by 1856 and the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad becoming the first cross-state railroad in 1859, the Katy was a relative late comer to the railroad game. However, it provided a vital link between the agriculture of central Missouri and the quickly developing American southwest. The Katy added to Missouri's prosperity, supporting towns along the corridor and causing several new towns, such Mokane and Tebbetts, to spring up almost overnight.

The Katy Ceases Operation
In the fall of 1986, the Katy experienced severe flooding that washed out several miles of track. Due to the cost of repair, the fact that railroad use was in decline, and the company was in financial trouble, the company decided to cease operations. On Oct. 4, 1986, trains 101 and 102 became the very last trains to use the corridor and the Katy ceased operations on its route from Sedalia to Machens.

The Railroad Amendment
The National Trails System Act Amendments of 1983 provided that railroad corridors no longer needed for active rail service can be banked for future transportation needs and used on an interim basis for recreational trails. When the Katy Railroad ceased operations, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources filed for a certificate of interim trail use for the corridor from Sedalia to Machens and it was granted in April 1987. The department used the opportunity to develop one of the most successful rails-to-trails conversions in the United States.

The Development of Katy Trail State Park
The first section of the trail from Rocheport to McBaine opened in April on 1990. In August of 1990, another section from Augusta to jut northeast of Defiance opened. The rail corridor from St. Charles to just past Sedalia was developed by 1996. Through a donation from the Union Pacific Railroad, the department then extended the trail to Clinton, opening the section between Sedalia and Clinton in September of 1999. Funds from the Missouri Department of Transportation will be used for construction of the final section of Katy Trail from St. Charles to Machens. Future plans include the Rock Island Trail-Katy Connector, which will connect the trails at Windsor to Pleasant Hill.



Web link: Not listed

Additional point: Not Listed
Visit Instructions:
A clear picture of the Marker or Plaque taken by you.
Also would appreciate you input on the text and location.
Search for...
Geocaching.com Google Map
Google Maps
MapQuest
Bing Maps
Nearest Waymarks
Nearest Missouri Historical Markers
Nearest Geocaches
Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point
Recent Visits/Logs:
There are no logs for this waymark yet.