Linden Indiana

Along The Right Of Way

June 2004

M.P. 29.0 - 1st Subdivision - Ru/Dy

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In approximately 1830, the first permanent white settlers came to northwest Indiana, which was then occupied by Potawatomi Indians under Chief Pokagan. By 1838, when the original State Line House was built facing Sauk Trail, the trail named after the Sauk Indians, records begin to record the early beginnings of what is now know as Dyer, Indiana. The State Line House was used to house travelers going to Chicago, and became the overnight stopping place for Union soldiers during the Civil War.

The early settlers identified themselves as farmers from Prussia with a few carpenters, millers, saloon keepers, shoemakers, masons and a doctor also being identified. In 1857, the Michigan Central Railroad established a station at Dyer, and built a grain elevator nearby. The Monon Railroad (Lousiville, New Albany and Chicago) started building from Dyer in 1880 to finish the line started by the Chicago and South Atlantic, and the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway, and east-west route, was built a little while later.

Dyer depot, date unknown. Judging from the vehicles in the background, mid 1960's. Photographer was standing on the southeast side of the mainline looking toward the northwest. Paul Stringham photo, courtsey og George Hilton and the MRRHTS.

Left: September 27, 1976. the backside of the Dyer Depot. Right: Dyer is still a stop for Amtrak. Pictured is the Cardinal making a stop in May 2003.

1976 is the year. Gary Clark took this picture of a southbound L&N freight at the Dyer depot.

National attention was focused on Dyer in the early 1920's when an experimental model highway was constructed stretching three miles from Dyer to Schererville. It was call the "Ideal Section of the Lincoln Highway". This experiment, financed by the federal, state and county governments and United States Rubber Company, set the standards for highway construction throughout the United States. So in a small way Dyer played a role in the demise of railroads and passeneger traffic in the United States.

Left: Dyer, Indiana, circa 1948. A trio of F3's at work on the EJ&E. Like many of the railroads that dieselized early, the Monon, used units semi-permanently assigned to each other. This trio is probably off to pick up cars. Right: Northbound Monon Thoroughbred south of the Dyer depot, April 1948. Train 6 is about to cross Plum Creek and make it's station stop. Charles Huffer Collection, MRRHTS.

Left: May 1965. Train #6, with one F3A leading approach the interlocker at Dyer. The EJ&E diamonds are just in front of the engine. The depot is off to the right side of the picture. Right: 2003 EJ&E diamonds looking south over Plum Creek. Area in foreground, right side of single track mainline was location of former depot.

Left: Train versus truck accident U.S. 30 crossing 1942. The truck was loaded with toilets. Courtsey of Mahlon Eberhart. Right: U.S. Highway 30 crossing in Dyer 2002.

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