Hamilton developed around the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, completed on Valentine's Day in 1859, and the Hamilton Depot was built in the fall of that same year. In 1885, a spur line to the Hamilton Coal Mine was added and later extended to Kingston. This spur line was unusual because it had no turnarounds at either end, so the train traveled forward one way and backward on the return. The railroad brought new people, ideas, and commerce from across America and helped shape Hamilton into a bustling community.