Initially published in 1888, this Railway map was produced by one of the most well-known 19th-century map makers George Cram. Cram’s company went on to become the first American company to release a World Atlas in 1901. This incredibly detailed illustration provided a wealth of information for merchants and residents alike and is a unique link to life as an American in the mid-1800s. Before the Railway system was completed in 1865, the Mississippi River was the primary form of transit for exporting goods out of Indiana via the Wabash and Ohio River. The Railways became necessary for the northern regions of Indiana, especially in the 1880s, when a natural gas boom transformed the economy and spurred massive growth and population expansions. At the time, the Indiana Gas Field was the largest in the world. By allowing east-west transport, the Railways were Indiana’s connection to the rest of the nation, and the links permitted the state economy to thrive. The rails carried a romance of the time, and in the mid-1850s, Indiana was rapidly building tracks with young men enamored with a life outside of the agrarian establishment. Indianapolis became known as “The City of Railroads,” with seven railroads converging in the city. Following the conclusion of the Civil War, the rail line became a useful tool for passengers as well as freight and interurban travel. This map was published the same year as the completion of the new Union Station in Indianapolis.
