The Railroads

Written by Nicolaus Hajek

The 1840’s saw railroads spark the American economy, acting as the engine which would drive it forward for the next 100 years to come. From the moment the tracks came through Wooster, the small town would find its ability to communicate, travel, and trade with the rest of Ohio revolutionized by the quick and easy travel the tracks offered. From the Pennsylvania & Ohio line that linked Wooster to Pittsburgh (and later Chicago) to the Interurban which fostered a Northeast Ohio community, railroads united Wooster with the rest of the country and ensured the small town's economic survival.