The Case:
A Cleveland man with a passion for trains has long wondered about an electric street car in his city’s transit museum.
He is curious to learn what happened to the city’s once extensive and highly praised electric trolley car network.
Streetcars were once the most popular form of urban transportation in the country, by World War I, most cities of more than 10,000 people had an electric railway system. But by the 1950s, this form of transportation had all but disappeared.
History Detectives hits the road to Washington, D.C. and Cleveland to track the evolution of urban mass transit systems and investigate the fate of downtown areas and the rise of suburban sprawl.
Related Content
Technique:
Related Links
Explore
-
Also with Wes Cowan
John Hunt Morgan Saddle
Could this be a saddle from one of the most audacious attacks launched by the South during the Civil War?
-
Also with Wes Cowan
Civil War Deringers
Are these pistols union or rebel?
-
Related Investigation
Hindenburg Artifact
Was this device snatched from the burning wreckage of the ill-fated zeppelin?
-
Related Investigation
Whaling Ship
Might a ship docked in Mystic Seaport, hold secrets to the Underground Railroad?
-
Also with Wes Cowan
Lewis & Clark's Cane
Was this family heirloom a gift from the famous explorers Lewis and Clark?
-
Also in Season 4
Coca Cola Trade Card
Could this card be a unique piece of early Coca-Cola advertising?
Comments
This is a place for opinions, comments, questions and discussion; a place where viewers of History Detectives can express their points of view and connect with others who value history. We ask that posters be polite and respectful of all opinions. History Detectives reserves the right to delete comments that don’t conform to this conduct. We will not respond to every post, but will do our best to answer specific questions, or address an error.