RR in 1885

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Can anyone tell me what train lines were in use in 1885 in or near Cedartown, Polk County, Georgia. It is located 18 miles south of Rome, GA.

I am interested in a chartered train in 1885 that took several families west to Texas to resettle. One of the men who chartered the train was George Clarence Green. Other families were Reeves and Morton. These families resettled in Texas that year (1885). Any help is greatly appreciated!!

-- Ben Parris (btpiii@bellsouth.net), September 26, 2002

Answers

UGA has an online collection of historical maps at

http://www.libs.uga.edu/darchive/hargrett/maps/maps.html

Follow the Transportation link. A railroad map of Georgia from 1886 shows two railroads into Cedartown, one north to Rome and another east to Rockmart, another line nearby at Cave Spring.

I believe that the line from Rome to Cedartown was built by the Rome and Carrolton, taken over by the Chattanooga, Rome and Columbus. This line became part of the Central of Georgia.

The line east from Cedartown was built by Cartersville and Van Wert and later became part of the Seaboard Air Line.

Someone headed to Texas probably would not have used either of these, though. A better line for a trip southwest would have been the line from Rome to Cave Spring and on into Alabama since this line would have gotten the families started in the right direction. in 1886 the Cave Spring line was or became the Selma, Rome and Dalton and later was acquired by Southern Railway.

I believe Selma, Rome and Dalton was built northeast from Montgomery and so it was complete from Rome to Montgomery in 1886. The families could have traveled from Cave Spring to Montgomery on SR&D and then connected to other lines to take them out west to Texas.

This would be my best guess at an answer.

Ron. Wright

-- Ron. Wright (ron@cofg.org), September 26, 2002.


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