Learn from a railroad historian how the railroad companies in the South were the first to build railroads, and how they heavily relied on enslaved labor to not only build, but also operate one of the most extensive railroad networks in the world.

Clarksville has a deep railroad history, and three railroads passed through town, and the city also boasted a streetcar network. Despite the history, the city has had a love-hate relationship with the railroad. Its first railroad was derided as “beginning in the woods and ending in a hollow tree.” When one railroad faltered, city leaders […]