Springfield was the original
destination of Ohio’s two oldest railroad companies -- the
Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad, and the Little Miami Railroad. They formed the first rail link between Lake
Erie and the Ohio River. Other routes
became more important as rails eventually spread like spokes of a wheel from
Cincinnati, and connections were made to Akron, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus,
Dayton, Indianapolis, Louisville, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Toledo by the late
1800s. Hundreds of depots were erected
to serve local business. They ranged
from small shelters to the standard combined passenger-freight buildings to
major city passenger terminals.
Cincinnati, Dayton, and Springfield became rail centers, and towns like
Blanchester, Hamilton, Loveland, Middletown, Morrow, Wilmington, and Xenia
became busy transfer points. This book
presents a pictorial sampling of these grand structures when they were in their
prime.
Author Bio: Mark J. Camp is a geology professor at the University
of Toledo and serves as a national director of the Railroad Station Historical
Society. This is his sixth Arcadia book.
Be aware that the accuracy of some of Arcadia’s home-spun histories is sometimes questionable. Hence, your NYCSHS directors would be interested in reviews by knowledgeable members.
Published by Arcadia Publishing, this softcover retails for $22, with NYCSHS members paying only $17.60. Shipping is extra and Ohio residents must add 8% Ohio sales tax.
