Our Mission
At Trackside Veterinary Clinic our leadership team has been proudly serving the pets and families of Woodbine and the surrounding communities with high-quality veterinary care for the past 14 years. We are extremely thankful to be able to offer our expertise with a new brand and facility in Woodbine, and to extend that care to our upcoming satellite in Missouri Valley. Our mission is to help pets and animals, the people who love them, and our team of veterinary professionals who care for them, each thrive. Every day, we show up as our best selves, collaborating with pet, horse, small ruminant, and exotic animal owners with integrity and compassion, so that quality veterinary care remains accessible to the families and animals who depend on it. These values are not just words — they are woven into the very foundation of this practice, this building, and this community we are so proud to call home.
The Birth of Trackside
The concept of retro-fitting a multi-doctor companion animal practice into a 1913 opera house and lumber yard was literally born on note pads and graph paper. The name of the practice is based on its location and heritage. When Dr. Pothast asked her stepmother, who had worked for the Union Pacific Railroad for decades doing logistical cargo planning, what the area between the train tracks was officially called, she said "Trackside" and the name just fit!
Historic Roots: Mathews and Kling Company
The heart of our new veterinary clinic is located in a freshly remodeled building that has been part of Woodbine's brick street downtown district since the late 1800s. The Mathews and Kling Company, which specialized in agricultural implements, lumber, and grain, was founded by George A. Mathews and Henry B. Kling shortly after they left Wisconsin and settled in Woodbine in 1877. To accommodate their growing business, the pair purchased the downtown lot in 1881, and erected a two-story brick warehouse with a full basement and an opera house on the second floor in 1888. The second floor opera house had a seating capacity of three hundred, and was said to be "one of the best of its kind" in the country.
The 1913 Tornado
On Easter Sunday in March of 1913, disaster struck downtown Woodbine in the form of a tornado, which caused $500,000.00 worth of damage to homes and businesses in Woodbine and injured 8 people. The Mathews and Kling brick opera house was one of the buildings which was "completely wrecked" by the storm. The tornado approached from the southwest and "mowed a path" about two blocks wide through portions of the southern business and residential districts. Reportedly, a clock that was recovered in the days after the tornado from a home that had been destroyed had hands that were stuck at 6:22 pm.
Rebuilding the Community
Following the storm, community rebuilding efforts began almost immediately. Even though the days following the tornado brought 3 inches of snowfall, the rebuilding efforts were not deterred and any mason, carpenter, or person capable of "driv(ing) a nail or push(ing) a saw" was in demand. Each business that had been destroyed or damaged planned to rebuild. Remarkably, a few days after the tornado a "high-priced touring car" owned by Mr. Mathews was taken out of the building's wreckage and found to be relatively undamaged. It was immediately "cranked up," then with seven passengers it was run all around town, presumably in a celebratory fashion.
As written upon an internal wall of the room that is now a veterinary examination room, the building that stands today was part of the reconstruction effort that commenced immediately following the March 1913 tornado. By June 1, 1913, a mere 8 weeks following the tornado, wooden walls were finished with plaster, comprising a rebuilt structure that would serve as a lumber company and hardware store well into the 20th century, prior to its eventual abandonment near the turn of the century.
Restoring a Landmark
Although the building had declined into complete disrepair, having been standing vacant for the better part of two decades, Dr. Pothast saw its unique character and potential. She was lucky to find a retired rehabilitation and construction expert, who saved the historical asset, starting by raising the building 16 inches to correct the sag that would soon have led to collapse. With the help of her construction mentor, and with additional help from her life partner and veterinary practice manager, as well as many caring subcontractors who agreed to go above and beyond to help with the project, Dr. Pothast was able to make her dreams for a new life path into a reality.
About Us - Associated Amenities
Rail Perch
"Sit. Stay. Perch. ~ Rail Perch at Trackside."
Rail Perch is a three bedroom, two bath apartment above the veterinary clinic. This is a rentable living space for interns, veterinary students on preceptorships, and pet parents who live far away who may want to stay in town if their pet is ill or having a surgical procedure that requires overnight hospitalization. Visitors who want to stay in Woodbine to check out our community or see friends and family could use this resource as a home base. We also welcome any train or history enthusiasts, as the building and upper story apartment are packed full of historical significance. We elected to call the upper story "Rail Perch" because it features a balcony for people to have a unique and up-close vantage point of trains passing by on both the Union Pacific Railroad and Canadian National Railway Company tracks. Many historically interesting artifacts and railroad-themed items are on display at Rail Perch.
Woodbine Dog Park at Trackside
It is our dream to have a community dog park right here in Woodbine, attached to our veterinary clinic. This will be a place where dogs can be safe, get exercise, seek relief during travel, socialize with others, and be themselves. By providing this amenity to our clients and beyond, we wish to show that, as a small business, we are focused on bettering our community. This park will be maintained by us but will be open to all responsible pet owners and community members. At Trackside Veterinary Clinic, we care for pets in every stage of life. Now we want to extend patient care beyond our clinic doors and offer a resource to promote whole health and wellness in our canine patients and their families by providing space where enrichment and community can come together.
Missouri Valley Associated Amenities
Trackside Veterinary Clinic will be adding a satellite location in Missouri Valley, Iowa to collaborate with our main location in Woodbine. After long, successful careers in veterinary medicine, Dr. Jack Gochenour, his wife and office manager, Kristin, and their dedicated technician, Cindy Norton, will all be retiring at the end of March 2026. Willow Park Veterinary Clinic will become our Missouri Valley - Trackside Veterinary Clinic location. Once we are able to build our foundation in Woodbine and recruit and train additional talented staff, we will extend our services back into the current Willow Park location. During this brief closure, we ask all Missouri Valley clients to come meet us and obtain veterinary services in Woodbine once we open on April 1st. We are extremely excited to meet you all and develop long and lasting relationships with you and your fur family!