Cannon Valley Trail

The railroad of Alpheus Beede Stickney, the Minnesota Central Railroad Company (MCRR), built the Cannon Valley railroad out from Red Wing through Northfield to Faribault in 1882, pushing on to Mankato. There was a railroad war with the Milwaukee Road building a parallel branch line from Northfield to Red Wing. The MCRR was bought out by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad who in 1899 sold the trackage to Stickney's new company, the Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad, that by this time had become the Chicago Great Western Railway (a railroad better known by its slight name change nine years later when Stickney had left: the Chicago Great Western Railroad). Local private citizens purchased the railroad roadbed for a recreational trail in 1983 following the C&NWs (the successor to the CGW) decision to abandon the line. The Cannon Valley Trail contains milepost markers installed by CGW, which indicate the distance from Mankato — the railroad's original western terminus. ==Related Trails==

Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail The section of the Chicago Great Western from Faribault to Mankato is now the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail. Cannon Falls to Faribault The section of the Chicago Great Western between Faribault and Cannon Falls is being developed by the Mill Towns Trail Association which would result in the former route of the entire Chicago Great Western (originally the Central Railway Company of Minnesota and later the Wisconsin, Minnesota & Pacific) from Mankato to Red Wing being converted to trail use. Goodhue Pioneer State Trail In Red Wing, the trail connects to the Goodhue Pioneer State Trail. ==References==