Articles about Transportation
Filter by topic
Before railroads, stage lines crisscrossed the prairies
By Bill Kemp. Published on April 1, 2009.
One of the more striking modern day conveniences we take for granted is the ease of long distance travel. Before commercial airlines, c...
First brick street in U.S. myth endures in Bloomington
By Bill Kemp. Published on September 30, 2012.
At the southwest corner of the Courthouse Square, near the intersection of Center and Washington streets, stands a historic marker of b...
Extinct passenger pigeon once visitor to Central Illinois
By Bill Kemp. Published on December 18, 2016.
In 1810, 24-year-old attorney Henry Marie Brackenridge traveled down the Ohio River to Ste. Genevieve, Mo. and what was still known as ...
WW I freighter ‘Evergreen City’ named for Bloomington
By Bill Kemp. Published on February 5, 2017.
At the end of World War I, Bloomington citizens were given the honor of having a freighter named for their fair city. The...
Beloved ‘Rags’ rode the rails to local fame
By Bill Kemp. Published on September 10, 2017.
The story of “Rags” is proof that most everyone loves a shaggy dog story, especially those of the literal kind.From 1907 to 1912...
‘Trolley Days’ raised funds for the underprivileged
By Bill Kemp. Published on December 4, 2017.
“Let the slogan of the day be, ‘Ride for Charity,’” announced the Jul. 6, 1911 Pantagraph. “Leave the automobile un-cranked and keep th...
For pioneers, river crossings sometimes matter of life and death
By Bill Kemp. Published on March 21, 2021.
Of all the hardships faced by pioneers, the danger of crossing swollen rivers and creeks is one of the more difficult for present-day f...
Electric cars sparked local interest long before Rivian
By Bill Kemp. Published on February 13, 2022.
The startling success of electric automaker Rivian has shined an international spotlight on Bloomington-Normal. The company’s ever-spra...