Indiana Historical Society

Lincoln’s years as President of the United States are extensively documented, but less well known are his ties to America’s rail industry and his contributions to railroad history. Living on America’s western frontier, Lincoln was keenly aware of the economic need for local farmers to deliver their produce to regional markets and for capitalists in urban centers to transport goods as quickly and cheaply as possible. Lincoln also recognized that westward expansion offered significant opportunities for agricultural, commercial, and industrial development. A reliable transportation link between America’s eastern and western seaboards, and the vast tracts of land separating the two, would be critical to a growing national economy. Within this context, it is not surprising to find Lincoln involved with the railroad industry. As an Illinois lawyer who represented railroad interests or their challengers, and as a President who supported the creation of an American transcontinental railroad, Lincoln’s efforts to improve America’s transportation network are worthy of closer consideration.

On April 15–16, 2005, the Midwest Railroad Research Center of the Indiana Historical Society hosted a symposium on Lincoln and the railroads, which was sponsored by The Indiana Rail Road Company. The following essays were among those presented at the symposium.

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Abraham Lincoln as a Railroad Attorney (pdf)
by James W. Ely, Jr.

Lincoln and the Rock Island Bridge Case (pdf)
by James W. Ely, Jr.

Abraham Lincoln and the Problem of Progress (pdf)
by Andrew Cayton