Indiana didn’t officially adopt the “Crossroads of America” motto until the 1930s, long after the interest in railroad and interurban construction had peaked. Interurban construction projects began around the turn of the century in Indiana; by the 1920s most areas of the state were being serviced. The rapid rise of the interurban system can be attributed in large part to its convenience and speed; the decline can be attributed primarily to the convenience and speed of the automobile. By the 1920s, affordable automobiles and public investment in new roads and road improvements were providing a more popular transportation alternative for Hoosiers. The decline of the privately financed interurban companies came fairly quickly thereafter.

The focus of this print is central Indiana. The print includes a portion of an interurban system map that identifies the interurban companies. Some of the cities identified on the map include: Kokomo, Marion, Frankfort, Tipton, Crawfordsville, Lebanon, Noblesville, Anderson, Muncie, Winchester, Danville, Indianapolis, Greenfield, New Castle, Centerville, Richmond, Franklin, Shelbyville, and Rushville. The postcard images show scenes from some of the cities and towns in central Indiana that were served by the interurban system.

 Special thanks go to Jane Lyle, David Rodgers, and Ruth Kellar for generously making postcards available for use in creating this print.

Postcard images in the print

Indiana Union Traction Co. Station at Kokomo (Howard County), postmarked 1910	Indianapolis trolley on Illinois Street at Union Station (Marion County), circa 1910
Trolley car on Meridian Street in Anderson (Madison County), postmarked 1915	Shelbyville / Greensburg Flyer on the Indianapolis & Cincinnati Traction Line, circa 1910
Trolleys on Main Street, looking west in Richmond (Wayne County), postmarked 1909	Passengers boarding interurban car on Main Street in Van Buren (Grant County), postmarked 1909
Lebanon Interurban Station, postmarked 1909	“Indiana Limited” 70 mph interurban car at Indianapolis (Marion County), circa 1910
Kids boarding at the Moorman Orphanage/Lincoln School interurban stop west of Winchester (Randolph County), circa 1910	Indianapolis & Cincinnati Traction Company Station in Rushville (Rush County), postmarked 1910
Interurban car at the corner of Main and Meridian Streets in Portland (Jay County), circa 1910

Other items in the print

Indianapolis & Greenfield Rapid Transit Co. stock certificate, circa 1910	Indiana railroad and interurban pocket map prepared by the State Board of Tax Commissioners and distributed by Secretary of State Daniel E. Storms, 1903-06
Indianapolis and Western Railway Co. stock certificate, circa 1910

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