Fostoria railroad history is rich
Thursday, February 23, 1989
Pix #1 - The only know photo of a COLDWATER RAILROAD locomotive.
While the mansfield, coldwater and Lake Michigan was being built through
Fostoria in the 1870', another segment known as "The Montieth to Allegan
(Michigan)" sigment of the road was completed in september, 1871 by
contractor Joseph Fisk. The eleven and one half miles was the only
portion of the coldwater built and operated in MIchigan. the reference
indicates that Fisk built and operated in Michigan. The reference
indicates that Fisk built more miles of railroad (over one thousand)
in the midwest thatn any other contractor. On June 19, 1871, the coldwater
officially took over control of this line. (This information from
James Winslow: Pennsy Historical Society.)
Pix #2 - Fostoria "away back when," showing its reilraods and its
"Town Hall" in corner.
Pix #3 - This is a copy of a very old railroad map showing what railroads
existed in Ohio in 1860. While theprint is very small it can be recognized
that the "fremont & Indiania" (later the Lake Erie and Estern) was
the first railroad to pass through fostoria. Reader will also not
that a short segment of Ohio's first Railroad: The Mad River and Lake
Erie, came quite close to early Fostoria, but did not pass through.,
it is shown passing through Carey, with a branch line heading northwest
throught Vanlue and into Findlya. The closest it came to Fostoria
was Vanlue.
(POTLUCK NOTE: The author of this column and don Kinnaman, a former
fostorian, but a resident of Phoenix, Arizona, for many years, have
kept up correspondence, don, in his interesting letters often reminisces
about his days in Fostoria, and some of the historical data which
makes good reading for today's younger generation as well as the older
readers.
In one of our exchanges, don "drew-a-bead" on the subject of reilreads,
and had some good ideas for an article, even refenences for data.
I think don thought we could cooperatively do the article,.
Knowing don's ability in gathering data then putting it together,
I suggested he carry the ball and do the whole job. He did an excellent
job as readers will see in the first of a series starting today.
My contribution to this reiaroad series will come later, at the end
of the series, in which I will reminsce about my personal recollections,
having lived int he vicinity of all the various reilrads: LE& W, B&O.
JHopcking Valley and New York central aor T&OC as it was often referred
to.
At a later peroiod in my life, I travelled extensively via all of
the steam lines going north, south, east and west and thoroughtly
enjoyed rail service.
Unfortunately those days are gone as far as passenger service is
related.)
Mention the owrds: "trains" or "railroads" to today's ovservers and
the first thing that may come to their mind is "dirt, noise and unexplained
delays at the corssings." BUt more thatn 150 years ago, these words
were fast becoming "household words" as communnities everywhere were
vying through financial, pittical or double talk means to get this
form of quick, smooth trahsportation to their comminity interests.
They were beginning to realize more and more the importance of the
reilroad bringing industry, commerce and prosperity to their area.
Railroads born in 1820-30's
this brand new idea in moving passengers and freight by rail was
beginning to take shape in the ease with the organization and construction
of the nations first railroad: The Baltimore and Ohio. The date was
the late 1820' and 1830's. At about the same time pioneers and settlers
were clearing land in north3estern Ohio for a commyunity soon to be
called Risdon. names for col. O.C. Risdon, the community had its town
Square a twhat today is know as Summit and Countyline streest. summit
with its park0like boulevard setting became Risdon's Main Street.
Within a shore distance to the south another community was springin
up know as Rome. (This riter does not know if the name came from the
city in Italy, or who named it.) both communities beagn to gow toward
each other an in 1854 combined in the city of fostoria. fostoria was
named after Charles foster, an early Ohio bovernor. It has been said
that foster had a general merchandise store: Thus Toster plus store
compounded to gether gives the city "part" of its name. since the
store was n "Emporium of sotts," I sould surmise the singular of this
would be emporia. which woul dcomplete the name.
In those early days, memn in all walks of life were searching and
seeking better transportation met;hods to get their goods to market.
Turnpike wagon roads, marked trails and gbarges carrying waterwasys,
and canalls were being surveyed and built. The coming of the raeilraod
would be relatively quicker to survey and build, and get into operation
tahn the canal methods, whic it would soon make obsolete.
Fostoria destined to be RR center?
When Rome and Risdon were serveyed by early platting engineers (including
my great-great-grandfather: Gideon Jones), I wonder how much thought
was given to the "strategic location" of these two communities which
would ultimately become Fostoria. Neighte community was destined to
become a county seat, no canals were planned for the area and the
nearest wagon turnpike was some distance awasy. The only real feature
was good agricultural land and the village lay close to the boundaries
of Seneca, Hancock and wood counties. It probably could be argued
that they man (ior may not) have had information then that Fostoria
was really well centrally located. One can take a pair of dividers
and set for scale marked 100 would find the outer circle cncompassing
larger cities like Detroit, Columbus, Fort Wayne, Cleveland and Akron.
Half this distance would include Toledo, Sanducky, Marion, Mansfield
and Lima. Perhaps the early Railroad Planners knew something the local
curveyors did not know, since this "Center point" would make a great
interchange point for their railroad.
The first railroad west of the Appalachians was the Lake Erie and
Mad River which was originated through planning in 1832. It was surveyed
to operate between Sandusky and an area near Cincinnati. Unfortunately
it did not go through Fostoria, but a brance which ran from Carey
to Findlay, passed through Vanlue, a few miles southwest of Fostoria.
An early map of the Pennsylvania Railroad (1860) shows the Mad River
Line, which by this date had changed its name to the Sandusky, Daytonn
and Cincinnati Railroad.
(Cintinued next week.)
