In August 1972, a newly formed corporation called American Train Heritage, Inc. purchased their first piece of a projected steam railroad tour train dream for the Crab Orchard and Egyptian Railroad. Continue reading
Category Archives: C-D
The Chicago and Big Muddy Mine was opened in 1900 by Samuel H. Goodall as part of the Chicago and Big Muddy Coal and Coke Company, with headquarters in Chicago, and was one of the largest mines located near the edge of Marion, Illinois. Continue reading
“During the summer months, from 1850 to 1872, there was a class of men in this county known as teamsters, who followed the business of moving the products of the county to the railroads and rivers. In an early day nothing could be sent to market but such things as could walk. Ox teams were used up to 1866, when everybody commenced to use horses for teaming. Continue reading
Marion, Illinois was first served with electricity only 10 years after Thomas Edison started the first central electrical generating station in New York City, when the Marion Street Light and Street Railway Company was chartered on June 15, 1891. Continue reading
Thanks to an article written in the 1970’s by Homer Butler in his series “Glances at life”, a chunk of railroad history has been salvaged. Homer interviewed Eugene Morrison, co-owner of Home Oil Company. Eugene’s father was F.E. Morrison, who came to Marion in 1903 as a telegraph operator. In 1905, he became agent for the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad and held the position till he retired in 1925 to devote full time to the Home Oil Company which he and a brother had previously started. Continue reading
