Today for our Throwback Thursday journey, let’s take a ride on the trolley of the MC and CL Railroad. Attached you will find a photo taken by local photographer, Phil Mench, about 1905 on Main looking east. The location is at the 1300 block of Main between S 13th St (Lindon St) and S 14th St (Victoria St). The hill behind the trolley is at the top of what was called Orchard Hill since a large apple orchard once stood in the area. Interestingly, this hill was “shaved” down from its original height to make it possible for the trolley to climb the hill. You can get a feel for the original height when you drive either way on Main and look at the height of the retaining walls constructed in front of houses along Main.
This photo is quite special to your author since I grew up in the house located at 1305 Main–it still stands today. You may notice the girl in the white dress by the electric power pole on the right side of the photo, (and “No”, that is not me in the photo ) she marks the area where my house was/is located. The McGowan family (owners of McGowan Hardware at the corner of Main & N 5th St) owned the lovely Victorian house that was directly across the street from 1305 Main. Part of the house can be seen, but the house is no longer standing.
This trolley was part of the MC and CL Railroad which began operations in 1877. This route of tracks traveled from Mason City to Clear Lake and back covering 11 miles one way. Attached is a photo also taken by Phil Mench, of the main Clear Lake depot for the trolley situated at the corner of Main and 8th Street near the location of Athletico Physical Therapy today.
The trolley made stops at the Lake Shore Hotel on N Lakeview Dr and carried people to and from Chautauqua Park on North Shore Dr. The drop off point near the Chautauqua Park was at a large turn-around located just east of the Oaks Hotel in what is now part of the Surf Ballroom’s parking lot. The map gives you an idea of the layout of the entire trolley route and the turn-around is clearly indicated. On the map you will notice a number “3”. This indicates a stop made by the freight component of the MC and CL Railroad. This location is the place where large box cars were loaded with ice cut from the lake each winter and then shipped out to other communities.
The last train traveled on these tracks on May 31, 1947. The tracks remained in place until they were removed by the Iowa Terminal Railroad in 1967 after 50 years of service to passengers and freight for the community. Tracks for the old trolley are still easy to find when traveling east on Main near the I-35 overpass. The Clear Lake Historical Society has an exhibit dedicated to this rail system which was a big part of Clear Lake’s livelihood.