Book Reviews Senator John Heinz History Center Board of Trustees*

An Uncommon Passage former editor of Carnegie Magazine, details Edited by Edward K. Muller Stephen R. Tritch, Chairman undertakings by the railroad industry to connect John F. Bitzer, Jr., Vice Chairman (: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2009) coal-rich southwestern to the Ron Davenport, Sr., Vice Chairman 287 pps., $34.95 hardcover Paul O’Neill, Jr., Treasurer Pittsburgh and Baltimore markets. During the Beverlynn Elliott, Secretary Andrew E. Masich, President & CEO mid-1800s, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad laid The Great Allegheny Passage, a biking and hiking tracks along the banks of the Youghiogheny and Arthur L. Baldwin Esther L. Barazzone, Ph. D. trail built along former railroad lines, cuts through Casselman rivers, a level path carved through Susie Barbour David E. Barensfeld the Allegheny Mountains to link Pittsburgh with thousands of years of erosion. Fifty years later, Nadine E. Bognar Cumberland, Maryland. It generally follows the with the easiest route already taken, the Western Commissioner J. Bracken Burns, Sr. Robert Cindrich National Road and Braddock’s Road as well as Maryland Railway built bridges, viaducts, and Estelle F. Comay, Esq. Mrs. James F. Compton ancient Native American paths. An Uncommon tunnels to carry its trains over rivers and through The Honorable Jay Costa, Jr. Charles J. Dougherty, Ph.D. Passage is a collection of six essays edited by mountains. The Honorable Brian L. Ellis Edward K. Muller, each exploring a different Today, the Western Maryland route forms Sigo Falk The Honorable Mike Fisher era of the Passage’s history. Helping tell this a substantial chunk of the Great Allegheny Timothy O. Fisher Alvaro Garcia-Tunon story are scores of contemporary and historic Passage. Paul g Wiegman chronicles the efforts Stan Geier photographs, maps, and illustrations. of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Laurence Glasco, Ph. D. Chuck Hammel Martin West, director ooff andan regional rail-trail groups Matthew G. Harbaugh Franco Harris the Fort Ligonier Association,n, to convert abandoned rail Donald J. Heberle describes British endeavors to cutut lineslin into trails. The logistical Tod Hunt F. Michael Langley a road through the Alleghenieses challengesch of acquiring the Gerald F. MacCleary Andrea T. Mahone that would allow them too lalandn and updating 100-year- Glen T. Meakem confront the French at Fortt ololdd infrastructure seem nearly Sandy Mellon Terrence J. Murphy Duquesne. A young George as daunting as constructing a Ralph J. Papa Robert N. Peirce, Jr., Esq. Washington made one of the roroada through the Alleghenies Jack B. Piatt fi rst attempts in 1754, but the in the first place. Wiegman The Honorable John R. Pippy Paul M. Pohl mountains, rivers, marshes, alalsoso contributes dazzling Dan D. Sandman Lynne Schmidt and dense forests slowed his cocontemporarynt photographs of the Carol Semple Thompson PassPassage,a many of which would not Margaret Snavely progress. The following year,r, Kaveri Subbarao with considerably more resources at his disposal, seem out of place hanging on a museum wall. Joe William Trotter, Jr., Ph.D. H. Woodruff Turner, Esq. General Edward Braddock cleared a 12-foot-wide An Uncommon Passage is not a mile-by- The Honorable Mike Turzai Auditor General Jack Wagner road, broad enough for wagons to pass single fi le. mile guide of what to expect when traveling The Honorable Don Walko Though it would lead him to a stunning defeat, the Great Allegheny Passage. Instead, it is a Dennis A. Watson, Esq. Bruce Wiegand Braddock’s road remained in use in the years comprehensive biography of the trail aimed at Emeritus Trustees & Honorary Trustees following the French and Indian War, bringing those seeking more information on its place in Robert Barensfeld Frank V. Cahouet settlers to southwestern Pennsylvania. regional history rather than what can be gleaned Joseph Calihan The rugged terrain of the Alleghenies from the historical markers that dot the trail. John P. Davis, Jr. Stephen W. Graffam, Esq. proved no match for 19th century technology. Teresa Heinz ** Reviewed by Matthew Strauss, Maxwell King In an essay exploring the role industrialization William C. King played in the region, Robert Gangewere, Digital Collections Archivist Robert Knutson ** The Honorable Frank J. Lucchino David McCullough Martin G. McGuinn The Honorable Tim Murphy Book Review Capsules are now online. The Honorable ** The Honorable ** Visit http://senatorjohnheinzhistorycenter.blogspot.com/ Dan Rooney or get there from www.heinzhistorycenter.org/ * Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania ** Honorary Trustee

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SPRING 2010 63