This railway line between Watertown and Leola was constructed in 1906 by the Minneapolis and Saint Louis Railroad, which merged into the Chicago and North Western Railroad in 1960. The C&NW abandoned the Stratford-Leola segment in 1968 and the remainder of the route the following year.

See also Gary to Watertown, Watertown to Redfield and Brookings to Watertown, all abandoned by the C&NW in this region.