Glen-
Thanks so much for the definitive documented answer to the incorrect long-established local lore.
It is nice to be able to record what actually happened as there are many gaps in the history of the East End which have been filled by locals who many times put two and two together and come up with five.
I just reread “Village on a County Line” which in one place states that the original Brush Hill / Hinsdale depot burned and was replaced across the tracks with another which was in turn replaced by the 1899 depot. In another section it states that the 1865 brick depot served until the 1899 depot was built and thereafter was used only for freight in the original location…..which is supported by the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps of the area.
Does the BNSF Kansas City Structures office have good records for the depot buildings on the East End (like AFE numbers and dates of original construction / location)? The station diagrams have errors as do the ICC Valuation documents on dates.
While I’ve been able to piece together the “genealogy” of LaGrange Stone Avenue and a few other places, there are still big holes in the record for many depots!
Thanks,
Charlie Vlk
PS- Was the Block Cabin Signal system the first application of signals on the East End? Are there any references to earlier signal systems (semaphore, token, ball)??
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