North Lee County Historical Society Museums in Fort Madison, Iowa
Depot museumFreeOpen 360 days a year; free admission
Between downtown Fort Madison and the Mississippi River, volunteers of the North Lee County Historical Society keep the Old Santa Fe Depot Complex open as a free museum of the town's railroad and river history, with Santa Fe steam locomotive 2913 standing outside.
- Free admission, open 360 days a year
- Santa Fe steam locomotive 2913, built 1944
- Tour a Santa Fe way car
- Transportation museum in CB&Q depot
- Amtrak Southwest Chief stops here
- Run by volunteers
North Lee County Historical Society Museums at a glance
- Hours
- Open 360 days a year; the society's Facebook lists 10 am to 4 pm daily and noon to 4 pm Sunday
- Admission
- Free; donations and memberships appreciated
- Seasonal events
- Old Lee County Jail open on Beggar's Night
- Plan for
- About 1 to 2 hours
- Best for
- Families, rail fans and Amtrak travelers with time to spare
- Best ages
- All ages
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
- Address814 10th Street, Fort Madison, IA 52627(opens in a new tab)
- Phone(319) 372-7661
- Emailnlchs@nlchs-ia.org
- Websitefortmadison-ia.com/508/North-Lee-County-Historical-Society-Muse(opens in a new tab)
Follow North Lee County Historical Society Museums
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to North Lee County Historical Society Museums? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Fort Madison.
Rally Takes the Train
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That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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A Santa Fe crew-change town on the Mississippi
Fort Madison was the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway's only stop in Iowa, and it mattered to the railroad. The town became a division and crew change point on Santa Fe routes, with a locomotive repair shop and other facilities, which is why the railroad saw an upgraded depot as a necessity. The resulting depot complex, which also includes a Railway Express Agency office completed in 1922, is now a historic district.
Today the complex is home to the North Lee County Historical Society, a nonprofit staffed by dedicated volunteers who preserve the area's historic buildings, documents, artifacts and photographs. They share the old depot grounds with the Fort Madison Tourism Bureau and the Amtrak ticket office, since Fort Madison remains the Mississippi River crossing and station stop for Amtrak's Southwest Chief.
The society's reach goes well beyond the tracks. Its volunteers give tours of their displays, hand out tourist information for the city, region and state, and also care for the Old Lee County Jail, built in 1867, and Brush College, a one-room schoolhouse north of town. Next door, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy depot at Avenue H and 10th Street tells the story of a second railroad, one whose first train ran in 1850 and whose name lives on in today's BNSF Railway.
Two depots, a big Santa Fe steamer and a caboose
Start at the Old Santa Fe Depot, where volunteers can point you through the society's displays on the history of Fort Madison and North Lee County. Outside stands Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe steam locomotive 2913, a 708,000 pound engine built in 1944 to haul war equipment across the western United States and later gifted to the city.
Visitors can also tour the Santa Fe way car, the caboose that once rode at the end of freight trains before locomotives and flashing rear-end devices replaced it. The former CB&Q depot holds a transportation museum covering rail traffic and travel up and down the Mississippi River. From the riverfront you can see the BNSF swing-span double-decker bridge, completed in 1927, which carries cars on top and trains below and opens more than 2,000 times a year for river traffic.
Don’t miss
- Santa Fe steam locomotive 2913Built in 1944 and weighing 708,000 pounds, it hauled war equipment in the West before coming home to Fort Madison.
- The Santa Fe way carThe society's caboose is open for touring, a chance to see the car that once carried crews at the back of the train.
- The CB&Q depot transportation museumA second depot with exhibits on rail traffic and Mississippi River travel.
- The BNSF swing-span bridgeListed on the National Register and in Guinness as the longest double-decker swing-span bridge in the world, at 3,140 feet with a 525-foot swing span.
- The Railway Express Agency officePart of the depot complex since 1922, a reminder of when packages moved by passenger train.
A giant engine, a caboose and passing trains
Kids can size themselves up against the huge 2913 steam locomotive and then step into the Santa Fe caboose on a tour. Because the depot is still an active Amtrak station and BNSF trains cross the nearby bridge, there is a good chance of seeing a real train during your visit. Free admission makes it easy to stop for as long or short a time as little ones last.
Families visiting in October can also look forward to the Old Lee County Jail opening on Fort Madison's Beggar's Night, when young and old can tour the 1867 jailhouse.
Plan your visit: tips for North Lee County Historical Society Museums
- Admission is free, but a donation or membership helps the volunteers keep the depots open.
- Ask about tours of the Old Lee County Jail, which patrons can schedule in advance.
- Watch the swing-span bridge for a chance to see it open for barges.
- Amtrak's Southwest Chief stops here, so the museum is an easy stop if you are riding the train.
Each Halloween, the society opens the Old Lee County Jail during Fort Madison's Beggar's Night so families can tour the 1867 jailhouse on the spookiest night of the year. For more fall ideas around the state, see our list of Halloween train rides in Iowa.
The volunteers of North Lee County
The North Lee County Historical Society is an active nonprofit staffed by volunteers, and it keeps admission free. Donations and memberships are how visitors help most, and the society is a natural fit for anyone in the area who wants to volunteer with railroad, jail or one-room school history. Reach the society by phone or email to ask.
Rail stops near Fort Madison
The Midwest Central Railroad in Mount Pleasant is about 26 miles away and runs narrow gauge steam on event days. Across the river in Illinois, the Galesburg Railroad Museum is about 54 miles off and the Rock Island Railroad Museum about 86. Plan more with our guide to Iowa train museums.
- Midwest Central RailroadMount Pleasant, IA · about 26 mi
- Galesburg Railroad MuseumGalesburg, IL · about 54 mi
- Rock Island Railroad MuseumRock Island, IL · about 86 mi
- Wheels O' Time MuseumDunlap, IL · about 90 mi
- Walt Disney Hometown Museum railroad exhibitsMarceline, MO · about 107 mi
- Amboy Depot MuseumAmboy, IL · about 128 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
This depot still sells Amtrak tickets, which means a conductor still steps down onto this platform when the train arrives. That is one of my favorite pages to paint: Mr. Conductor in his blue uniform reaching out a hand so Rally feels welcome aboard. My mom loved the kindness of train crews. If your family is thinking about a real Amtrak trip, our train books for toddlers list is a cozy way to get ready.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
- Train museums in Iowa: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Iowa
- Halloween train rides in Iowa
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at North Lee County Historical Society Museums?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Sources
- North Lee County Historical Society Museums official website(opens in a new tab)
- North Lee County Historical Society Museums on Facebook(opens in a new tab)
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Fort Madison Railroad Museum: 20 questions visitors ask
Where is the Fort Madison train museum?
Fort Madison's railroad museums are in the Old Santa Fe Depot Complex at 814 10th Street, Fort Madison, Iowa 52627, between downtown and the Mississippi River. The North Lee County Historical Society runs them, and the complex also houses the Fort Madison Tourism Bureau and the Amtrak ticket office.
Who runs the Fort Madison Railroad Museum?
The North Lee County Historical Society, an active nonprofit staffed by volunteers, runs the museums in the depot complex. It preserves the area's historic buildings, documents, artifacts and photographs, and also cares for the Old Lee County Jail and Brush College, a one-room schoolhouse north of town.
What are the Fort Madison Railroad Museum hours?
The society says its museums are open 360 days a year. Its Facebook page lists the main office as open 10 am to 4 pm daily and noon to 4 pm on Sunday, as of October 2026. Call (319) 372-7661 to confirm, especially around holidays.
How much does the Fort Madison Railroad Museum cost?
Admission is free as of October 2026. The North Lee County Historical Society greatly appreciates donations and memberships, which help its volunteers keep the depot museums open nearly every day of the year. Plan to drop something in the donation box if you enjoy the visit.
What is Santa Fe locomotive 2913?
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe 2913 is a 708,000 pound steam locomotive built in 1944. It hauled war equipment in the western United States and was later gifted to the city of Fort Madison. It is displayed at the depot complex and is the museum's best-known piece.
Can you go inside the caboose at the Fort Madison museum?
Yes, visitors can tour the Santa Fe way car, the caboose. Cabooses are no longer used on modern trains, which now rely on locomotives at both ends or a flashing rear-end device, so the museum's caboose is a good chance for kids to see one up close.
What is in the CB&Q depot in Fort Madison?
The former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy depot at Avenue H and 10th Street houses a transportation museum covering the history of rail traffic and travel on the Mississippi River. The CB&Q ran its first train in 1850, and its Burlington name lives on in today's BNSF Railway.
Why was Fort Madison important to the Santa Fe Railway?
Fort Madison was the Santa Fe's only stop in Iowa. It became a division and crew change point with a locomotive repair shop, so the railroad built an upgraded depot here. The depot complex, which includes a 1922 Railway Express Agency office, is now a historic district.
Does Amtrak stop at the Fort Madison depot?
Yes. Fort Madison is the Mississippi River crossing and station stop for Amtrak's Southwest Chief, and the Amtrak ticket office is in the historic Santa Fe depot complex alongside the museums. Check Amtrak for current train times if you want to watch or catch the train.
What is the Fort Madison swing-span bridge?
The BNSF swing-span double-decker bridge, completed in 1927, is listed on the National Register and in Guinness as the longest double-decker swing-span bridge in the world. It is 3,140 feet long with a 525-foot swing span, carries cars above and trains below, and opens over 2,000 times a year for river traffic.
Is the Fort Madison Railroad Museum good for kids?
Yes. The giant 2913 steam engine and the caboose tour are big hits, and admission is free, so short visits are easy. With an active Amtrak station and the swing bridge nearby, kids may also get to see a real train or watch the bridge swing open.
How long does a visit to the Fort Madison depot museums take?
Plan on one to two hours to see the Santa Fe depot displays, locomotive 2913, the caboose and the CB&Q transportation museum. Add time if you want to walk to the riverfront to watch the swing-span bridge, or join a scheduled tour of the Old Lee County Jail.
Can I tour the Old Lee County Jail in Fort Madison?
Yes. Patrons of the North Lee County Historical Society can schedule tours of the 1867 jailhouse in advance, and it opens to everyone every Halloween during Fort Madison's Beggar's Night. The jail was used by the Lee County justice system into the 1970s.
Does the Fort Madison museum have a Halloween event?
Yes. The society opens the Old Lee County Jail during the city's Beggar's Night each Halloween, so young and old can tour the old jail on the spookiest night of the year. Call (319) 372-7661 to confirm the year's date and times.
Is the Fort Madison Railroad Museum wheelchair accessible?
The society does not post accessibility details for the depots, caboose or locomotive display online. Call (319) 372-7661 or email nlchs@nlchs-ia.org before your visit to ask about access to each building and the caboose. Volunteers can tell you which areas have steps.
Where do I park at the Fort Madison depot museums?
Parking details are not posted online for the depot complex. Since the complex also serves the Amtrak station and tourism bureau, call (319) 372-7661 to ask where museum visitors should park, particularly around train times.
Can the Fort Madison museum give tourist information?
Yes. Besides tours of their displays, the society's volunteers offer tourist information for Fort Madison, the region and the state. The Fort Madison Tourism Bureau is also located in the depot complex, making it a handy first stop for planning a day in town.
How do I contact the North Lee County Historical Society?
Call the North Lee County Historical Society at (319) 372-7661 or email nlchs@nlchs-ia.org. The museums are at 814 10th Street in Fort Madison, and the society also posts updates and local history on its Facebook page.
How can I support the Fort Madison Railroad Museum?
Because admission is free, donations and memberships are the main ways visitors help. The society is staffed by volunteers, so if you live in the area, ask about volunteering at the depots, the old jail or Brush College by calling (319) 372-7661.
What train museums are near Fort Madison?
The Midwest Central Railroad in Mount Pleasant is about 26 miles away, the Galesburg Railroad Museum in Illinois about 54 miles, and the Rock Island Railroad Museum about 86 miles. The Wheels O' Time Museum in Dunlap, Illinois is about 90 miles away.
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