Map of the Cotton Belt Route

These railroad lines ran through regions where cotton was the predominate crop

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From 1891 to 1992, the St. Louis Southwestern Railway operated between St. Louis, Missouri, and various points in the states of Arkansas and Texas. It was nicknamed "The Cotton Belt Route," or simply Cotton Belt, because its rails ran primarily through regions where cotton was the predominate crop.

In Texas, the line originated in Tyler where the "Tyler Tap" connected Tyler to the International & Great Northern Railroad (I&GNRR) and the Texas & Pacific Railroad.

The St. Louis Compress Company later invested in the railroad as an alternate route to bring down freight rates for its cotton. 

See this and other artifacts on the Interactive Texas Map

Map of the Cotton Belt Route Artifact from Austin
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