Railroads in the Old South: Pursuing Progress in a Slave Society

by Aaron W. Marrs

Overview

Aaron W. Marrs challenges the accepted understanding of economic and industrial growth in antebellum America with this original study of the history of the railroad in the Old South.

Drawing from both familiar and overlooked sources, such as the personal diaries of Southern travelers, papers and letters from civil engineers, corporate records, and contemporary newspaper accounts, Marrs skillfully expands on the conventional business histories that have characterized scholarship in this field. He situates railroads in the fullness of antebellum life, examining how slavery, technology, labor, social convention, and the environment shaped their evolution.

Far from seeing the Old South as backward and premodern, Marrs finds evidence of urban life, industry, and entrepreneurship throughout the region. But these signs of progress existed alongside efforts to preserve traditional ways of life. Railroads exemplified Southerners' pursuit of progress on their own terms: developing modern transportation while retaining a conservative social order.

Railroads in the Old South demonstrates that a simple approach to the Old South fails to do justice to its complexity and contradictions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780801891304
Publisher:	Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication date:	04/13/2009
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Aaron W. Marrs (WASHINGTON, DC) is a historian at the US Department of State. He is the author of Railroads in the Old South: Pursuing Progress in a Slave Society.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
List of Abbreviations
Maps
Introduction
1. Dreams
2. Knowledge
3. Sweat
4. Structure
5. Motion
6. Passages
7. Communities
Epilogue: Memory
Notes
Essay on Sources
Index

What People are Saying About This

Kenneth W. Noe

I am hard pressed to think of another volume that better catches the overall effect railroads had on the Old South.

— Kenneth W. Noe, Auburn University

John L. Larson

The time is right to bring the South into the story of the economic transformation of antebellum America. Aaron Marrs does this with force and grace in Railroads in the Old South.

— John L. Larson, Purdue University

From the Publisher

The time is right to bring the South into the story of the economic transformation of antebellum America. Aaron Marrs does this with force and grace in Railroads in the Old South.
—John L. Larson, Purdue University

I am hard pressed to think of another volume that better catches the overall effect railroads had on the Old South.
—Kenneth W. Noe, Auburn University

Editorial Reviews

Interesting regional history . . . It is a thoughtful and instructive study that examines not only the pervasiveness of transportation but also some of the social, political, and economic consequences associated with the evolution of southern railroads.
—Choice

This well-researched and readable volume is the best single study of railroads in the South before the Civil War. It should be of interest to historians as well as the general public.
—James W. Ely, Jr., Virginia Magazine of History and Biography

Marrs has given Civil War scholars some critical issues to consider when they evaluate the conflict's impact on railroads and the railroad's impact on the conflict.
—Robert C. Kenzer, Civil War Book Review

Marrs’s conclusions concerning slave labor deserve a wide reading and general approbation.
—James L. Huston, American Historical Review

A useful, important, and timely book for southern and business history . . . Marrs has produced the most detailed account of the South's experience with railroads and has uncovered more aspects of this transformation than any previous scholar.
—William G. Thomas, Journal of American History

Railroads in the Old South is a solid contribution to our understanding of the birth of American railroading. There is much that is fresh and fascinating in each chapter . . . This book should be of interest to every serious student of railroad history, and even casual readers will find the text accessible and informative.
—Theodore Kornweibel , Railroad History

Artfully written and rewarding . . . This book is a winning accomplishment that deserves a wide audience.
—Eric J. Morser, Business History Review

Readers will find Railroads in the Old South an informative and lively social history.
—Mark Aldrich , Technology and Culture

An important study of antebellum railroads in the American South.
—H. Roger Grant, South Carolina Historical Magazine

Marrs's broad perspective and eye for detail have produced an outstanding overview of not just the Southern but the American experience with railroads during the antebellum era. Anyone interested in the history of railroads, technology, or the South will find this volume worthwhile.
—Robert G. Angevine, Register of the Kentucky Historical Society

Thoroughly researched and well written.
—Richard Jensen, Florida Historical Quarterly

Informative and well-organized.
—Dr. Owen Brown and Dr. Gale E. Gibson, Neworld Review

Informative and convincing.
—Angela Lakwete, Journal of the Early Republic

Accessible and appealing to a broad audience interested in southern history and railroad history. . . One would be hard-pressed to come up with a more intelligent and satisfying treatment of the subject than Railroads in the Old South.
—Paul F. Paskoff, Louisiana History

Independently of whether the reader is a business historian, a cultural historian, an economic historian, or a historian of technology, it is certainly worth reading the book.
—Xavier Duran, Enterprise and Society

From the Publisher

Thoroughly researched and well written.

Florida Historical Quarterly - Richard Jensen

Accessible and appealing to a broad audience interested in southern history and railroad history. . . One would be hard-pressed to come up with a more intelligent and satisfying treatment of the subject than Railroads in the Old South.

Louisiana History - Paul F. Paskoff

Marrs has given Civil War scholars some critical issues to consider when they evaluate the conflict's impact on railroads and the railroad's impact on the conflict.

Civil War Book Review - Robert C. Kenzer

Marrs’s conclusions concerning slave labor deserve a wide reading and general approbation.

American Historical Review - James L. Huston

Artfully written and rewarding . . . This book is a winning accomplishment that deserves a wide audience.

Business History Review - Eric J. Morser

Marrs's broad perspective and eye for detail have produced an outstanding overview of not just the Southern but the American experience with railroads during the antebellum era. Anyone interested in the history of railroads, technology, or the South will find this volume worthwhile.

Register of the Kentucky Historical Society - Robert G. Angevine

Readers will find Railroads in the Old South an informative and lively social history.

Technology and Culture - Mark Aldrich

Informative and convincing.

Journal of the Early Republic - Angela Lakwete

Informative and well-organized.

Neworld Review - Dr. Owen Brown and Dr. Gale E. Gibson

Railroads in the Old South is a solid contribution to our understanding of the birth of American railroading. There is much that is fresh and fascinating in each chapter . . . This book should be of interest to every serious student of railroad history, and even casual readers will find the text accessible and informative.

Railroad History - Theodore Kornweibel

This well-researched and readable volume is the best single study of railroads in the South before the Civil War. It should be of interest to historians as well as the general public.

Virginia Magazine of History and Biography - James W. Ely

Interesting regional history . . . It is a thoughtful and instructive study that examines not only the pervasiveness of transportation but also some of the social, political, and economic consequences associated with the evolution of southern railroads.

Choice

A useful, important, and timely book for southern and business history . . . Marrs has produced the most detailed account of the South's experience with railroads and has uncovered more aspects of this transformation than any previous scholar.

Journal of American History - William G. Thomas

Independently of whether the reader is a business historian, a cultural historian, an economic historian, or a historian of technology, it is certainly worth reading the book.

Enterprise and Society - Xavier Duran

An important study of antebellum railroads in the American South.

South Carolina Historical Magazine - H. Roger Grant

Accessible and appealing to a broad audience interested in southern history and railroad history... One would be hard-pressed to come up with a more intelligent and satisfying treatment of the subject than Railroads in the Old South.

— Paul F. Paskoff

Louisiana History

Informative and convincing.

— Angela Lakwete

Journal of the Early Republic

Informative and well-organized.

— Dr. Owen Brown and Dr. Gale E. Gibson

Neworld Review

Thoroughly researched and well written.

— Richard Jensen

Florida Historical Quarterly

Marrs's broad perspective and eye for detail have produced an outstanding overview of not just the Southern but the American experience with railroads during the antebellum era. Anyone interested in the history of railroads, technology, or the South will find this volume worthwhile.

— Robert G. Angevine

Register of the Kentucky Historical Society

An important study of antebellum railroads in the American South.

— H. Roger Grant

South Carolina Historical Magazine

Readers will find Railroads in the Old South an informative and lively social history.

— Mark Aldrich

Technology and Culture

Artfully written and rewarding... This book is a winning accomplishment that deserves a wide audience.

— Eric J. Morser

Business History Review

Railroads in the Old South is a solid contribution to our understanding of the birth of American railroading. There is much that is fresh and fascinating in each chapter... This book should be of interest to every serious student of railroad history, and even casual readers will find the text accessible and informative.

— Theodore Kornweibel

Railroad History

A useful, important, and timely book for southern and business history... Marrs has produced the most detailed account of the South's experience with railroads and has uncovered more aspects of this transformation than any previous scholar.

— William G. Thomas

Journal of American History

Marrs’s conclusions concerning slave labor deserve a wide reading and general approbation.

— James L. Huston

American Historical Review

Marrs has given Civil War scholars some critical issues to consider when they evaluate the conflict's impact on railroads and the railroad's impact on the conflict.

— Robert C. Kenzer

Civil War Book Review

This well-researched and readable volume is the best single study of railroads in the South before the Civil War. It should be of interest to historians as well as the general public.

— James W. Ely, Jr.

Virginia Magazine of History and Biography