The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Ralway Company was founded in 1847 as the Rock Island and LaSalle Rail Road Company. In 1851 the firm was reincorporated as the Chicago and Rock Island Rail Road Company. The rails of the Chicago and Rock Island reached Morris, Illinois, from Joliet in 1853 and later entered Ottawa. From 1873 to 1882 the expansion of the system continued in Iowa through the building of more branch lines and into Missouri to Kansas City. Entrance to Kansas City was effected in 1879, through an operating agreement with The Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad which connected with the Rock Island at Cameron Junction, Missouri. In 1888 the Rock Island system under the name of the Kansas City and Topeka Railway Company built two and a half miles of track, extending from Wyoming Street in Kansas City, Missouri, to Armourdale, Kansas (now part of Kansas City), to make connection with the Union Pacific main line.