"STEAM & CINDERS" CHRONICLES THE BOOM AND BUST
OF THE FIRST RAILROADS IN WISCONSIN
 

"Railroads have been around for so long that they seem like part of the landscape. But where, when, and how they developed was far from inevitable, as Axel Lorenzsonn shows in his thorough and superb study of the coming of the Iron Horse to Wisconsin. Steam & Cinders should be required reading for any student of railroads or the development of the Upper Midwest."
-Robert S. McGonigal, editor of "Classic Trains" magazine

 
In "Steam & Cinders: The Advent of Railroads in Wisconsin", author Axel Lorenzsonn brings the history of Wisconsin's earliest railroads to life, painting a vivid picture of the competition and risk that accompanied the building of Wisconsin's earliest statewide infrastructure in the years leading up to the Civil War.
 
From the railroad lines that traverse open prairie to the wrought iron rails embedded in their wooden ties, railroads have been written into the landscape - and shared history - of Wisconsin. Yet few of us have thought about how they developed in the towns and cities we call home.
 
This is the story of linemen who laid track through harsh winters; the story of railroad barons like Byron Kilbourn whose vision for economic expansion was matched by his strongarming tactics; the story of the glory days of the early rails, when the coming of the railroad would receive not only public notice but great fanfare and celebration in the small towns that lay along the line.
 
Featuring more than 75 period photographs, historic maps, and drawings, "Steam & Cinders" preserves the legacy of early Wisconsin railroading for railroad buffs and armchair historians alike.


The Wisconsin Historical Society Press, founded in 1855, is the state's oldest publisher.
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About the Author: Axel Lorenzsonn has worked for Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development for 25 years and is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A life-long history buff, he has delved into the history of Wisconsin's early railroads for the past 14 years and is an active member of several railroading associations including the Milwaukee Road Historical Society and the Chicago & North Western Historical Society.
 
To Purchase or Order: Available at all chain and local bookstores or through the Chicago Distribution Center: 11030 South Langley Ave., Chicago, IL 60628-3830.
Phone: (800) 621-2736 Fax: (800) 621-8476 Email: custserv@press.uchicago.edu
"Steam & Cinders: The Advent of Railroads in Wisconsin"

By Axel Lorenzsonn
Hardcover: $29.95
304 pages, 75 b/w photos, 8 x 9

ISBN 978-0-87020-385-5
 
 
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street
Madison, WI 53706
 
 
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