Dixieland
Dixieland was a small settlement at the far western edge of Imperial Valley where farmland gives way to sand. It came into being when plans were made by George Nichols and Ira Aten for a high line canal in 1909. Though the high line canal was never realized, in 1914 Dixieland was reached by the both the San Diego and Arizona Railway (with regular service to El Centro) and the Dixie Overland Highway (later US Highway 80). This, as well as the completion of the SD&A in 1919, lead to the expectation that Dixieland would blossom as the western gateway to Imperial Valley. A few brick buildings were built, but Dixieland never really amounted to much and little remains today. Trains do still pass through on their way to and from the gypsum plant at Plaster City, but none have stopped at Dixieland in several decades.
