M.P. 282.1 - 5th Subdivision - Sa
Home of the Monon Railroad Historical-Technical Society's
World Headquarters
The county seat of Washington County,
Salem was founded in 1814. Within a few years, the town was booming.
A courthouse
had been built surrounded by homes and businesses that formed the town’s
square. Enterprising residents of the county grew crops, operated tanneries
and mills, with all the products being hauled north seven miles to Millport
where goods were placed on flatboats and sent down the Muscatatuck and
White rivers to southern markets. It was a slow and dangerous process.
Boats sank, thieves stole products, and if the goods did make it to market,
those returning home with meager earnings were often waylaid by thugs.
This aerial photo of downtown Salem taken in
1975 shows the courthouse in the center. In the foreground is Smith Cabinet
Company, at
one time the area's largest employer and the Monon's biggest customer in
Washington County. -Courtesy Cecil Smith.-
Prominent in the history of the Monon
Railroad, Salem was the birthplace of the New Albany and Salem Railroad.
In the
spring of 1847 James Brooks and six associates, Henry B. Shields, W.C.
DePauw,
Samuel Reid, John Gordon, V.C. Campbell and John S. Davis organized
the New Albany and Salem Railroad. Brooks intention in 1851 was to build
from
New Albany to Lake Michigan, but he chose the name New Albany to Salem
out of a desire to appear conservative in his ambitions and not frighten
investors with a plan that might appear to big in scale. In January 1851, the
first train arrived in Salem, greeted by 5,000 people who had gathered
for this great event. As a shrill whistle was heard from east of town,
bands played, bells rang and cannons boomed as the crowd shouted, “Here
she comes! Here she comes!”
The Washington County courthouse is one of the crown jewels
among Indiana courthouses. It was built in 1888 and continues to Circuit Court
and several county offices. -Courtesy Cecil Smith-
Among the significant railroad events
in Salem’s
history was the burning by Confederate General John Hunt
Morgan and his men of the
railroad station and box cars and the destruction of tracks.
The raiders rode into town July 10, 1863, and went directly
to
the depot where
they anticipated getting a strong box filled with money
and valuables. The agent, knowing
they were coming, removed everything of value and hid it under
a house two blocks from the depot. He then filled the strong
box
with tools.
You can imagine that Morgan and his men were not happy
when they broke open
the box and found tools. Today, that strong box is one of many
railroad-related historic items on display
at The Depot Railroad Museum at
the John Hay Center in Salem. The museum commemorates Salem’s
role in the organizing of the railroad and is the World Headquarters of the Monon Railroad Historical-Technical Society, Inc.
The
Depot At The John Hay Center , Salem,
Indiana. Stop by for a visit.
Monon Caboose 81402 is a featured attraction at
The Depot railroad museum in Salem. A wooden caboose, it was built in
1929. -Courtesy Cecil Smith-
Salem is well known among Abraham Lincoln
historians because it was here that John Milton Hay was born
October 8, 1838. Hay became personal
secretary to President Lincoln and served as U.S. Secretary of State
under Presidents McKinley and Roosevelt. The small house where
Hay was born was built in 1824 as a school. It is part of the John
Hay Center and is located just two doors north of The Depot. The
Hay Center
also includes
a pioneer village and the three-story Stevens Memorial Museum, which
is filled with historic artifacts from Washington and surrounding
counties, many
collected by the Washington County Historical Society more than a
century ago. The museum also houses an extensive genealogical library
that
draws researchers from throughout the Midwest.
John
Hay, personal secretary to Abraham Lincoln, was born in this house in
1838. It is now part of Salem's John Hay Center. -Courtesy
Cecil Smith-
Salem prospered
over the years, thanks in part to the railroad. The area became known
for its
wood products. Smith Cabinet Company became the county’s largest employer,
shipping television and radio cabinets nationwide. Later, its Child Craft
juvenile furniture division shipped products to customers world wide. The
O.P. Link Handle Company became the largest producer in the world of wood
handles for tools. It is headquartered in Salem, but has plants in other
states. Smith Cabinet and the Link company were the Monon’s
largest customers in
Washington County.
At one time there were eight stations in the Washington County: Pekin, Farabee,
Harristown (Norris), Salem, Hitchcock, Smedley, Campbellsburg and Saltillo. Salem,
Pekin and Campbellsburg were the primary stations and the last to be in operation.
A prominent Salem resident, Lee Sinclair, banker and industrialist, built and
operated the famous West Baden Springs Hotel. That hotel and another at neighboring
French lick, made the French Lick branch a valuable acquisition for the Monon. Salem
is well-known among race fans for its half-mile, high-banked oval, the Salem
Speedway, which opened in 1947. Many drivers who competed in the Indianapolis
500 got their start at Salem. The speedway draws large crowds for sprint and
stock car races.
Today, CSX and Canadian Pacific trains continue to roll through Washington
County along the route of the New Albany & Salem Rail Road. Memories of the NA&S
and the Monon are kept alive through exhibits and a large model railroad
at The Depot, which is a replica of the Monon station that served Salem
from 1909
until
it was closed in 1973 and demolished in 1982.
Photos Courtesy The Depot Museum
Left and Right: The Monon depot at Salem, Indiana. Circa 1910.
Salem Depot, circa 1909.
Left and Right: Passenger train wreck at Salem, 1900.
Two views of the Salem depot. -Dick Fontaine Photographs-
Left: Northbound freight passing the depot, circa
1971. Right: Another picture of the depot, circa 1971. -Both photos Cecil
J. Smith-
Northbound Train #6 pulling away from the Salem Depot, 1961.
Black and Gold on the south end, 1961. Monon F3 207 on the lead as Train #6 leaves Salem.
By 1964 almost all the passenger cars have been repainted in the black and gold scheme. Once again 207 pulls the northbound Train #6 leaving Salem.
Crowd scenes on the last passenger trains to stop at Salem, 1967. -Geof Burns Collection-
North of
Salem. Left: FM H-15-44 #45 and 46 pull local freight north (railroad north)
of Salem, December 1960.
Right: F unit #62A on the point of a freight north of Salem, January 1961.
Another great action shot along the mainline near Salem. The year
is 1971 and this freight is headed northbound.
RS2's
28 and 24 sit at the Salem Depot, October 5, 1963. The local would normally
reach Salem by mid-day and chances are the crew was eating in a nearby beanary.
Pictured is a local that has cleared the mainline to
switch some industries in Salem, September 12, 1964. At one time there were
eleven
industries in Salem and they generated almost 1,200 carloads a year. The local
crew could spend up to two hours a day switching at Salem.
Bad
day at Salem. The local crew had some problems spotting some cars. Train #6
arrived in time to help the crew inspect the derailed cars.
Salem 2004
Former location of the Salem depot, circa 2004. Left:
The white CSX building in the center of the picture now stands where the
old depot once was located. Right: Remnants of the track that once ran to
the backside of the depot are still visable.
Looking along the mainline towards Fogg siding, Pekin, Bordon
and eventually Louisville. I am standing on what once was the passenger platform.
Left: Childcraft Industries. Looking along the mainline towards
the depot. Right: Looking towards Louisville, same location by Childcraft.
Salem area 2019
Pictures by Nathan
Miles and Rick Berg
click on map to view all pictures by number
MP 284.0 5th Subdivision -
Train wreck at Fogg, Locomotive 441 pictured, no date listed.
This
accident occured July 13, 1947 when the Monon dumped three new diesels into a field after flooding on Blue River washed out the ballast under the tracks. It occurred at what was then the south end of Fogg passing track east of (railroad south) of Salem.
Left and Right: Damaged F units due to the Blue River Flood, July 13, 1947 -The Depot Museum Collection-
Looking at the north end of Fogg Siding. -Dick Fontaine Photograph, MRHST Archives-
Fogg Siding 2003. Left: CN Kentucky Derby Special at
Fogg. Right: Waiting on the siding for a northbound CSX freight. Also pictured
is retired Monon/L&N/CSX engineer/trainmaster Richard Cantwell of Borden.
Left and Right: CN Derby Special waiting at Fogg Siding
for a CSX freight.
Old foundry
building at Fogg. According to John Campbell, this building has always been
known as the Fogg Foundry. We hope to post additional information on this
building and location soon.
Fogg Siding 2005
Left: Looking to the RR north from the
south end of Fogg Siding. Right: Closer view of the bridge on the passing
siding. The mainline is to the right.
Looking RR south from the grade crossing at the south end of Fogg
siding.
Fogg area 2019
Pictures by Nathan Miles and Rick Berg
click on map to view all pictures by number
Fogg area 2021
Pictures by Nathan Miles
click on map to view all pictures by number
MP 286.7 5th Subdivision -
One of those forgotten locations. Harristown
was platted July 18, 1850 by Thomas M. Harris. The town was named after him.
The Post
Office was established in 1851. The railroad station was named Norris, after
the first agent Thomas B. Norris. This was done to avoid confusion with Harrisburg,
although there was no Harrisburg on the Monon.
Harristown/ Norris depot. Exact date
unknown. Courtesy Cecil Smith, from the Depot Collection, Salem Depot Museum,
Salem, Indiana.
Northbound freight at Harristown, 1971.
Grade crossing at Norris, circa 2004.
Left: Another look from the crossing.
Tracks make a sweeping curve. Right: Old ice house, or other type of structure
close to the former mainline at Norris.
Long distance view of the curve at Norris.
A few houses remain. Thanks to John Campbell BMIA for the recent photographs.
MP 291.5 5th Subdivision -
The Post Office was first established
here and was named Forresters Station, with Alfred Farabee as postmaster,
on August
1856.
The name was changed to Farrabee's Station in 1859. The possessive "s" was
dropped on November 1882. The Post Office ceased operation in 1934.
The depot at Farrabee. This building was a grocery store, post
office and the train station. The front porch of the store (platform) extended
out to the tracks.
Farrabee 2005
The crossing at Farrabee.
Left: Looking RR north along the mainline. Right:
Looking toward the RR south in the general area where the depot once was located.
Farabee area 2020
Pictures by Nathan
Miles
click on map to view all pictures by number
| Bygone Monon Main |
Fifth Subdivision |