Plymouth Railroads

Plymouth Railroads
Author: Elizabeth Kelley Kerstens and Ellen Elliott
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Total Pages: 128
Release: 2020
Genre: History
ISBN: 1467104698

According to a Detroit Free Press article of March 14, 1872, "The advent of the railroad has completely changed the course of life of the inhabitants of this village, which is the first of importance going west from Detroit." The two railroads that came to Plymouth in the early 1870s changed the course of history for the once-sleepy town. Within 20 years, the railroads would be used to transport repeat orders for the booming air rifle industry to all corners of the United States. The rail lines made industry possible for a small burg outside of the metropolitan area of Detroit. Because of the distance to other cities, passenger transportation was always an important mission of railroads. These needs were met between 1899 and 1928 by the Detroit, Plymouth & Northville Railroad (Interurban). Later, enhanced passenger service ran on the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) line between Detroit and Grand Rapids, stopping in Plymouth (1946-1971).

Plymouth's First Century

Plymouth's First Century
Author: Elizabeth Kelley Kerstens
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Total Pages: 132
Release: 2002-07-16
Genre: Photography
ISBN: 1439630119

The year 2002 marks the 175th anniversary of the founding of Plymouth Township in Michigan Territory. The first settlers were true pioneers, carving a living out of the wilderness and working together to establish a community. Farms and farmers were the backbone of the community until after the Civil War when two railroads intersected in the Village of Plymouth. The railroads brought many opportunities to the area, and helped spread the products invented by an innovative population. Plymouth, Michigan's First Century: Innovators and Industry contains more than 200 images from the Plymouth Historical Museum and from the collections of some of Plymouth's current residents. You'll see the township blossom from farms and mills to a cohesive community of inventors and patriots. Early images of the main business block of Plymouth Village are reminiscent of the Wild West; later images depict a vibrant community, as it remains today.

Railroads of Cape Cod and the Islands

Railroads of Cape Cod and the Islands
Author: Andrew T. Eldredge
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Total Pages: 144
Release: 2003-03-12
Genre: Transportation
ISBN: 1439628610

In 1848, the railroad extended to Cape Cod to serve the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company. By 1887, fourteen of the fifteen towns on Cape Cod were connected by the railroad. For a short time, even the islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard had railroad lines. As the highways expanded in the years following World War II, the automobile became the primary mode of transportation. By 1959, year-round Cape Cod passenger service had been discontinued. Today, many miles of track have been removed to accommodate recreational bike paths. Using hundreds of historic images, Railroads of Cape Cod and the Islands illustrates the rich heritage of passenger and freight rail transportation on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. Mainland connections once involved transfer between ship and rail at wharves in Provincetown, Hyannis, and Woods Hole. Since 1935, trains have crossed the Cape Cod Canal on the world's second longest vertical-lift bridge.