"Visitor Here Rode First Train To Reach Madison" Wisconsin State Journal, June 1, 1924
"The Celebration" Wisconsin State Journal, May 24, 1854
Vocabulary:
passenger
locomotives
spectators
Interesting Fact:
The track leading into Madison in 1854 was built across several marshes, providing very soft and unstable ground. The trackbed and rail sank five feet in the marsh one day in June 1854.
Study Questions:
What was the name of the first railroad to Madison?
How long did it take to construct the railroad from Milwaukee to Madison?
What were some of the problems and obstacles for building the early railroads?
Search these newspaper databases for additional stories about the first railroads in Wisconsin:
May 23, 1854: The first passenger train arrived in Madison. The train of thirty-two cars and two locomotives carried more than 2,000 passengers and was cheered by several thousand spectators.