Charleston & Hamburg: A South Carolina Railroad and American Legacy

by Thomas Fetters

Overview

Many claim that the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was the first in the United States, but in reality the Charleston & Hamburg was the first to provide regular service to passengers when it opened its doors in Charleston, South Carolina, on Christmas Day 1830. It would ultimately carry people and goods from the Lowcountry to what is now north Augusta. This volume by historian Thomas Fetters presents a fresh new look at the development and operations of America's premier railroad, including surprising information about key players and newly discovered stories about the railroad's role in the American Civil War. A comprehensive account of the Charleston & Hamburg's history from its inception through Reconstruction, The Charleston & Hamburg, with its forgotten stories of America's premier railroad, is a necessary addition to the bookshelves of historians and rail fans alike!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781596294202
Publisher:	History Press, The
Publication date:	02/16/2008
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	6.60(w) x 9.70(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Thomas Fetters is a retired Research Scientist, Manager, and Director in the packing industry. A lifelong railroad enthusiast, Mr. Fetters has written three previous books on the subject: The Piedmont and Northern (Golden West Publications), Palmetto Traction (Harold Cox Publishers), and Logging Railroads of South Carolina (Heimburger House Press). Although he spent much of his life in South Carolina, he currently lives in Illinois.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements     9
Introduction     11
A Friend in Need...Is a Friend Indeed!     13
1831-The First Year of Operation     27
1832-The Second Year of Operation     37
1833-The Longest Railroad in the World     43
1834-Building a Fleet of Locomotives     53
The Possibility of Route Expansion     61
1836-The C&H Rebuilds with T-Rail     67
1837-The End of the Charleston & Hamburg Rail Road     71
1838-1843-The Louisville, Cincinnati & Charleston Rail Road Years     75
1843-1860-The South Carolina Rail Road     87
The War Between the States     115
1865-1870-Rebuilding of the South Carolina Rail Road     139
1870-1880-Reconstruction     149
Epilogue     157
About the Author     159