The newspapers of that period were filled with the wonderful "performance" of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway and the people of the United States, as well as those of Great Britain, became interested in the question of railroad transportation. As early as 1828 charters were obtained in several Eastern States and railroad companies organized. The first locomotive engine used in this country was operated on the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company's railroad between the mines at Carbondale and t

Kentucky, which was one of the leading States in the Union in those days in all progressive movements, was wide awake to the great advantages to be gained by railroad transportation. And Lexington, which seems to have been the "self-starter" of Kentucky, was aroused to the highest pitch of excitement. The various "performances" of the English railroads were published at length in the Kentucky Gazette, and the Observer and Reporter. Lexington was the very heart of the great Blue Grass region of K

The succeeding newspapers published a great deal on construction, and when it is remembered that all of it was experimental at that time, it will be interesting to note that the Lexington and Ohio Railroad Company, patterned most closely after the English models, undertaking, however, to improve upon them by the use of our native limestone sills which they believed to be indestructible and found, to their sorrow, to be most perishable. The Reporter of November 24th, 1830, says: "A great deal of

"Agreeable to the arrangements published in our last paper the ceremony of Laying the First Rail Stone of the Lexington and Ohio Rail Road, was performed in the presence of a large concourse of citizens and strangers on Saturday last. At 11 o'clock the three Military Companies which formed the escort marched from their place of rendezvous to the College lawn, where they were met by the various societies and individuals named in the order of the Marshal. The procession was then formed in the foll

The First Six Miles of the Road Being Completed a Passenger Car will Daily Leave the Lower Market House for the end of the First Division at 9½ O'clock A. M. and 2½ O'clock P.M. Returning will leave the end of the Division for Lexington at 10 O'clock A. M. and 3½ O'clock P.M. Companies of 12 or more can be accommodated with a Private Car by giving one hour's notice. Office L. & O. Rail Road Company January 1st, 1833 And so the Rail Road became a popular diversion, and the work was rapidl