The Eisenbahn State Trail follows a former Chicago and North Western Railroad corridor once called the Air Line for its direct passenger route between Chicago and Green Bay, and its name honors the region's German heritage by using the word for iron road. Settlement in the West Bend area began in the mid-1800's, and as the Washington County seat it grew into a regional government and business center. In 1873, the Northwestern Union Railroad completed a main line between Milwaukee and Fond du Lac through West Bend, and after merging into the Chicago and North Western Railway in 1893, the line helped shape development on the east side of the Milwaukee River. A first station was built, followed by grain elevators, stores, a stave factory, residences, a brewery, and an agricultural implements factory later known as Gehl Manufacturing. West Bend Aluminum Company began producing aluminum cookware along the railroad right of way in 1911, and Amity Leather Products, Enger Kress, Pick Industries, West Bend Malting, Brittingham & Hixon Lumber Company, West Bend Canning Company, White House Milk, and other firms also located along the line, strengthening West Bend's economy and earning it the name The City of Varied Industries. The railroad carried West Bend's manufactured goods to destinations worldwide, and several local industries became major producers of war materials during World War II and the Korean War. As industry and rail traffic declined by the 1960's, West Bend shifted toward finance, retail, service, and education. The line had also carried passengers, with regular daily service through West Bend and especially heavy traffic during World War II, but competition from automobiles and airplanes after the war contributed to falling ridership, and passenger service ended in 1971. The segment between West Bend and Eden was abandoned in April 2000, the line into West Bend remained active into 2004, rails from West Bend to Rusco Road were removed in the summer of 2004, Washington County opened the trail in April 2006 after completing bridges and a limestone screening surface, and in 2007 the City of West Bend paved about 5 miles of trail from Rusco Road to Barton.