Forgotten Lands, Places and Transit

"Lyman Woods is 150 acres of oak woods, prairie, and marsh habitats that supports over 300 species of native plants", according to the Downers Grove Park District . The fact that this parcel of land exists in a largely preserved state despite being surrounded on all sides by development is a small miracle, and is an incredible refuge for humans as well as local flora and fauna. It's an excellent place to go bird watching as well. ( Map ) The DuPage County Forest Preserve, Village of Downers Grove and the Downers Grove Park District jointly purchased Lyman Woods in 1987 through a tri-governmental agreement ( NIU ), which only happened as a result of village residents voicing their opinion that this property ought to be saved. Walking over a marsh on the south end of the property. An interesting aspect of this preserve is the presence of kames, glacially deposited hills of gravel, which were deposited during the glaciation period about 10,000 years ago. As glaciers largely...

On December 30, 1903, Chicago witnessed one of the worst disasters in its history, and the deadliest theatre fire in the United States. Chicago's early history is unfortunately rife with fire incidents, and this would occur just over three decades following the Great Chicago Fire. The theater was located at 26 W Randolph St in Chicago, on the site where the James M. Nederlander Theatre now exists today. The Iroquois Theatre, a lavish and modern venue that opened just a month before, was packed with more than 1,700 people, mostly women and children, who came to see a matinee performance of the musical comedy Mr. Bluebeard.  Little did they know that a spark from a stage light would ignite a fire that would engulf the theatre in minutes, trapping and killing over 600 people in a horrific scene of panic, chaos, and carnage. The Iroquois Theater before the fire. (Unknown photographer) The Iroquois Theatre was built on the site of the former Hooley’s Theatre , which itself was destroy...

I once read a story sent through an email chain which I've seen pop up every now and again, which asserts the fact that two horses standing side by side are roughly 5 feet apart is the reason that is the standard gauge of railroad tracks is 4'8 1/2". Created with Bing AI It isn't true , or at the very least there's far more that can be said on how standard gauge came into being. For example, the Southern Railway had a 5' gauge originally . I found this from a Trains forum posts which is one of a few of these stories to go around. I apologize in advance for the rough editing. Railroad gauge     Fascinating Stuff . . .   Railroad Tracks   The U.S. Standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches.   That's an exceedingly odd number. Why was that gauge used?   Because that's the way they built them in England, and English expatriates designed the U.S. Railroads.   Why did the English build them like that? Because the first rail l...

One of the most fascinating maps I’ve seen are the Ancient Courses of the Mississippi River by cartographer  Harold Fisk for the Army Corps of Engineers . The maps (they run up and down the Lower Mississippi River), show the present (c.1944) course of the river, as well as how that course has changed over time through stages.  The Mississippi River has not remained static over time. It has been constantly shaped by natural forces such as erosion, sedimentation, floods, earthquakes, natural and anthropogenic climate change, tectonic movements, and glacial cycles. These forces have caused the river to change its course, width, depth, and speed over time. The river changes course continuously, as do all rivers. Along the way from Lake Itasca, MN to the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River shapes the landscape, culture, and history of 10 states and countless communities. But how did this mighty river come to be? And how has it changed over time? These maps help to answer that que...

The Oklahoma and Arkansas Railway was a short line railway roughly twenty miles in length, running from Salina, OK eastward to a point referred to as Day, OK. Despite its name, it operated exclusively in the state of Oklahoma in both Mayes and Delaware County.  Construction began in 1921, with the line wholly owned by the  National Hardwood Company  in pursuit of timber interests. Neither Salina Junction (or Kenwood Junction), nor Day, Oklahoma exist on maps anymore, and for us to find the line, it took numerous resources to find the track of the railway. The line is among the more obscure lines, and it only ran between 1921-1926 between the aforementioned points. Having such a short life meant that the remaining track of the line was invisible on satellite imagery, which can also be attributed to the terrain of the area. It also meant that it managed to avoid being on USGS Topo Maps, since it was too late to be included on the 1904 Siloam Springs Quad, and had been long ...

Looking over both the Potomac River and the Shenandoah River at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia , one can spot Civil War  and abolitionist history pretty much all over the place. But two spots we want to discuss are the abandoned bridge piers that are visible across each of the respective rivers. Both bridges suffered destruction before, during, and after the Civil War, but it would be not humanity, but Mother Nature that would ultimately destroy them.  Bollman Bridge over the Potomac River In the foreground, all that remains of this original railroad bridge over the Potomac are some piers. The active railroad bridge is in the background - it allows pedestrians to cross adjacent to trains. Despite being abandoned today, the Bollman Bridge is one of numerous similar bridges constructed by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad which were designed by its namesake, Wendel Bollman. These ruins are from an 1868 installation of the bridge . As one might expect, given the history of Harpers F...