The La Crosse, Trempealeau & Prescott Railroad chartered to build from a point across the river from Winona to connect with the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad at Winona Junction in Wisconsin near La Crosse.[3] This was completed in 1870 with tracks in Marshland.
The Green Bay & Minnesota Railroad laid tracks from Merrillian Junction to join with the La Crosse, Trempealeau, & Prescott Railroad at Marshland in 1873.[4] That railroad was built to reach Winona, Minnesota and the Winona and St. Peter Railroad.[4] This became part of the Green Bay and Western Railroad.
A post office called Marshland was established in 1875, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1904.[5] The community was named from the fact adjacent farmland was once a marsh.[6]
