The Illinois Central Railroad (IC), between 1851 and 1856, built a rail line from Chicago IL, to Cairo IL. In 1876, IC entered Kentucky by purchasing the Mississippi Central Railroad that ran from East Cairo KY; via Fulton KY; to Canton, MI; and the New Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern Railroad that operated between New Orleans LA, and Canton MI. In 1896, Chesapeake Ohio & Southwestern and Ohio Valley Railroad were sold to IC. In 1896, when IC bought the Ohio Valley Railroad, that gave IC a route from Evansville IN, to Hopkinsville KY. End of track for IC in Louisville KY was Central Station, built in 1891 and served IC both as a depot and office building. In 1927 at Paducah KY, IC built their main locomotive repair and erecting shop. In 1970, IC operated some 550 miles of track in Kentucky. In 1972, IC merged with Gulf Mobile & Ohio Railroad to form Illinois Central Gulf Railroad (ICG). Then in 1998, IC was sold to Canadian National Railway (CN) and lost its identity.

The Louisville & Nashville Railroad (L&N) was incorporated in 1850 to build a rail line from Louisville, Kentucky, south to Nashville, Tennessee. The railroad was completed in 1861 just in time for the Civil War. L&N, unlike most southern lines, thanks to providing transportation for the Federal Army during the Civil War, survived the war with money available for expansion. Thus L&N acquired a number of southern railroads that would provide the L&N with track extending south from Louisville to Pensacola, Florida; Mobile, Alabama; and New Orleans, Louisiana. L&N's Kentucky track was served by fifteen yards: Madisonville, Owensboro (Doyle), Bowling Green, Skilman, Louisville (Strawberry), Latonia, DeCoursey, Paris, Lexington, Winchester (Patio), Corbin, Ravenna, Hazard (Crawford), Loyall, and Harlan. Within the following pages we will journey over the L&N in Kentucky via postcards, but our journey routes will not always follow direct L&N train routing.

The Illinois Central Railroad (ICRR) operated approximately 600 miles of mainline track throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky, stretching from the Mississippi River to the central part of the state. In addition to Louisville, the states largest city, the ICRR also served dozens of small towns. Kentuckys economy was built around coal mining and farming, and the ICRR played a major role in both industries. ICRRs coal trains served as a conveyor for Kentucky coal moving to Midwest factories, and the road hauled a wide variety of agricultural products, including tobacco, grain, and fresh fruit. No mention of the ICRR would be complete without discussing the fleet of fast passenger trains that whisked Kentucky residents to and from distant cities. To maintain the locomotives that hauled all these trains the ICRR operated one of the nations largest locomotive repair shops in Paducah.

Western Kentucky in Vintage Postcards guides residents, visitors, and history buffs alike on a virtual driving tour through Kentucky's westernmost counties to enjoy its rich history and natural beauty. Readers will discover why this is perhaps the most diverse region in the Bluegrass State with its many different geographical areas-flat lands to rolling hills and coal fields to miles of lakes. The scenic journey begins in Hopkinsville, meanders north through Madisonville to Henderson, and continues west to the Mississippi River, with stops in Murray, Mayfield, Paducah, and several small towns. Vintage postcards culled from a variety of sources highlight those things that are uniquely Western Kentucky: tobacco fields, coal mines, Confederate president Jefferson Davis, Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, farming, historical buildings and sites, floods, and dams.

With roots dating back to 1851, the Illinois Central Railroad (IC) transported millions of passengers and countless tons of freight. Most trips were completed without incident. However, there were occasional mishaps, including derailments and collisions with other trains or highway vehicles. Most accidents were minor, while others made the national news, such as the October 30, 1972, collision of two commuter trains in Chicago that killed 45 passengers. The IC frequently had to deal with flooding, for the railroad ran in close proximity to several major rivers. In January and February 1937, much of the southern half of the railroad was shut down because of flooding on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. This book depicts many of the accidents that have taken place along the Illinois Central through the years. The photographs are drawn from numerous sources, including the railroad's own photographers, amateur photographers, and photography studios.

Created by the federal government in 1933 to revitalize a region twice the size of New England, the Tennessee Valley Authority began as an experiment of unprecedented proportions. Seen here through picture postcards, the dramatic achievements of the TVA take on a personal aspect, as individuals visit the hydroelectric projects and enjoy the newly created recreational opportunities. Tangible benefits are also documented, such as improved navigation, new roads and bridges, and abundant and inexpensive electricity. Influenced by such visionaries as Gifford Pinchot, Theodore Roosevelt, and George Norris, the agency also dealt with regional issues, including river commerce, soil conservation, and flood control.

Chesapeake & Ohio Railway in Kentucky, as seen in postcards

Postcard History Series: Owensboro is a window into our past, offering a fascinating pictorial view of this city and some surrounding areas in earlier, simpler times of Sunday afternoon picnics in Chautauqua Park and May Day parades down Main Street. Refreshing the long forgotten and illustrating the legendary, this book reveals details about the rich social tapestry unique to this thriving rivertown community. Captured in these precious pages are the faces, places, buildings, and buggies of Owensboro's past. This is a place where much is the same but little remains of our grandparents' day.

Provides a complete history of the Kentucky Derby, examining the tradition, spectacle, culture and evolution of an event that has marveled America--and the world--for more than 130 years.

Hopkinsville is an enlightening collection designed to inform, entertain, 0and educate history buffs with images of the Pearl of the Pennyroyal." In this volume, authors William T. Turner and Donna K. Stone have teamed up to present more than 200 vintage images from Turner's personal collection to bring to life the people, events, communities, and industries that helped to shape and transform Hopkinsville. Portrayed in this postcard collection is a sampling of the city's past. Showcased are landmarks and people unique to this area, downtown memories, churches, schools and colleges, hotels, the Black Patch Tobacco War, and leisure activities. Personalities include Confederate president Jefferson Davis and world-famous clairvoyant Edgar Cayce, who made postcard views of the area."