 Between Columbia City and a point due south of Garrett (or just northwest of Cedar), the alignment of Indiana State Route 205 was built to closely parallel a very straight section of the (now former) tracks of the Eel River Railroad (also known as the Butler Branch line).The first attempt to construct a railroad along the Eel River was by the Toledo, Logansport and Northern Rail Road in 1856; however this company was unsuccessful.In 1872 the section between Denver and Auburn was opened, On October 18, 1873, the section between Auburn and Butler was completed.