A History of the Strasburg Rail Road, 1832-1862 by Lester James Kiscaden
A History of the Strasburg Rail Road, 1832-1862 by Lester James Kiscaden PREFACE This paper emerged out of a curiosity to investigate the origin of the Strasburg Rail Road. A life-long resident of Strasburg and interested in its past as well as its future, I felt compelled to investigate the first thirty years of the railroad's existence in order to clarify the misconceptions and myths that have emerged about that era of the road's history. Research has been conducted at the following locations: Har- risburg, Pennsylvania: The William Penn Memorial Museum, The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (Archives Build- ing) , The State Library (Law Library and Periodical Complex), and The Corporation Bureau; Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Lancaster County Historical Society, Frackenthal Library (Franklin and Mar- shall College), Lancaster County Court House (Prothonotary Office), and the Lancaster County Free Public Library; West Chester, Penn. sylvania: Chester County Court House (Law Library) , Francis Har- vey Green Library (West Chester State College) , and Chester Coun- ty Historical Society; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The Historical So- ciety of Pennsylvania; Millersville, Pennsylvania: Helen Ganser Li- brary (Millersville State College), and Strasburg, Pennsylvania; Strasburg Borough Office, First National Bank of Strasburg, and the Strasburg Rail Road Administrative Office. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To undertake a project of this nature one needs the cooperation and assistance of many individuals which I wish to acknowledge. I am deeply appreciative for the guidance of my advisor, Mr. Harold E. Shaffer. The following librarians were of invaluable as- sistance in helping my research: Miss Martha Simonetti, Associate Archivist, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; Mrs.
[Show full text]