---

Streets of Anderson

---

Great! Thanks for the quick and elaborate answer, now what streets did the Indiana Railroad use thru Anderson?

steve

Well, going way back and part of this is from memory, the Jackson Street-Broadway link didn't exist. There was a factory/foundry at the end of Jackson Street. Jackson at Third Street. The Union Traction crossed the river just a hair east of the current auto bridge and immediately turned SSE with a branch cutting eastward down what was to become Third Street through Anderson University and on to Chesterfield and Muncie. SR 32 from Scatterfield Rd in Anderson to Chesterfield is built on the old UTC RoW, straight as a die.

April 1, 1910 1910 postcard - Yeach Photo Pendleton Ave looking north. UTC interurban car coming south nearing the Columbia House. On the right side of the street in order: Columbia House, The Star Grove Mfg. Co. Inc., UTC depot Pendleton (Overhanging window), a small structure marked Gasoline and X tanke & Co. drugs. On the left a bicycle shop. Bob Trueblood collection. (Click on Photo at right for a larger view.)

UTC swung the other way and entered Main Street and crossed the PRR at 5th and Main where one leg continued down Main to 11th where it turned west on 11th to Nichol Ave and then down Nichol to Arrow Ave where it turned south until reaching 25th St where it turned and ran beside the CCC&StL as it left town. This was the line to Indianapolis that ran through Pendleton, Ingalls and Fortville.

UTC ran north on Meridian Ave (Broadway) and then on to Alexandria, Summitville and Marion. It also ran down Ohio Ave on Anderson's east side to what was to become known as Delco Tower and then east on Ohio Ave (the portion now known as Mounds Rd) out east with a stop at the children's home and on around into Mounds State Park where the old RoW parallels SR 232 as it goes to the park entrance.

UTC also used to own what is now known as Mounds State park and had a small amusement part there where it would run open cars there for picnickers during the summer.

My maps don't show the line to Middletown and New Castle as those lines were built after 1901.

Some of this imformation came from Electric Railroads of Indiana by Jerry Marlette and the 1901/1910 maps from the History of Madison County with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches Kingman Bros. 1880 to which are appended Maps of its Several Townships 1901/1910.

BTW - A few minutes ago, Bob Trueblood handed me a 1910 postcard showing a UTC car on its way into Pendleton from Anderson. It had just passed Falls Park heading south. It's pretty faded, but I think that I can get a good scan...

I would love to tell you that many signs of the UTC/IR abound here, but many of the streets that the UTC ran on have been rebuilt and have been filled to raise their level. Even tho the UTC came in behind the old F.C. Cline Lumber Co. at 5th & Main, you would have to walk the fields to find any traces. The street has been rebuilt as has 3rd street though the university.

There IS a piece of Pennsy track still in the ground at 5th & Main where the old freight house once stood.

Roger

---

And Jim wilhite added...

---

Roger's info is right on target.

My wife's father worked for several years in the Anderson city engineer's office with access to many old blueprints and maps. He was an armchair traction fan with memories of Anderson traction in it's prime. He found a blueprint of the "traction barn" in it's heyday. They not only repaired cars, they could build complete cars - carpentry, paintshop, upholstery, the whole deal.

Some old pictures of the area show wall-to-wall tracks and switches in what is now the large paved area around it. Broadway itself was several tracks leading to downtown.

Jim Wilhite

Top of Page  -  Let's Talk Traction  -  Interchange  -  Dalevile UTC  - Traction Photo Page  -  Main Page

This "Railroads of Madision County" page is written, maintained and hosted by: Roger P. Hensley madisonrails@railfan.net
Copyright 1999-2008 by Roger P. Hensley.