Preserving Our History

Museums | Documenting | Community | Authors & Press | Railroad Equipment

The Blackhawk Chapter has an extensive track record of involvement in numerous railroad preservation or railroad-themed community projects throughout Chicagoland and Northern Indiana.

Are you restoring a piece of railroad equipment? Did your ancestors work for the railroad? Want to know more about that railroad running through your town? The Blackhawk Chapter can connect you with the people and resources that will answer your questions.

Click on the links above or scroll down to see how the Blackhawk Chapter and its members are preserving our area's railroad history:

The Blackhawk Chapter works with local historical societies and museums by sponsoring, creating and displaying railroad-themed exhibits, giving the public an historically accurate portrayal of railroading.

Wabash #573

The Blackhawk Chapter provided financial support to the
St. Louis Chapter of the NRHS in their effort to cosmetically restore Wabash F-4 class 2-6-0 #573, located at the
Museum of Transportation in St. Louis (Kirkwood), Missouri.

Wabash #573 was built by Rhode Island in 1899 and became the railroad's last working steam locomotive, assigned to the line to Keokuk, Iowa due to a light bridge over the Illinois River at Meredosia, Illinois. #573 was retired in 1955 and donated to the museum.

Aurora, Elgin & Fox River Electric #304

The Blackhawk Chapter provided financial support to the
Fox River Trolley Museum for repairs and repainting to authentic AE&FRE colors of one of the last remaining cars that ran on this line until the Fox Valley Line's almost total abandonment in 1935.

The museum expects to have #304 in operation during their 2010 season and is soliciting donations to make that possible. Click here for more on the history of #304 and how you can help this preservation effort.

Grasselli Tower

The Blackhawk Chapter provided financial support to the
Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum in their effort to save
Grasselli Tower, one of the last interlocking towers in Northwest Indiana.

The tower was moved from East Chicago to North Judson in April of 2009 and the museum is working on restoring it as a working interlocking tower. Click here for more information on Grasselli Tower and their preservation effort.

Will County

The Blackhawk Chapter was the primary contributor to the
Will County Historical Society's exhibit “Trains, Trains, Trains” which ran from November 6 to 24, 2007 at their museum in downtown Lockport, Illinois. This popular exhibit featured displays of model trains, operating layouts, historic railroad photos, and timetables provided by Blackhawk Chapter members, as well as a collection of dining car china and important railroad items from the Society's archives.

Blackhawk Chapter volunteers are currently helping the WCHS catalog its vast archives of railroad papers and photographs, including many unique and priceless items from the 19th century.

The Blackhawk Chapter is also working with the WCHS to arrange for the prompt and complete preservation of the historical records of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railroad, now owned by CN Railway.

Scott Special

On Tuesday, July 11, 1905, a three-car passenger train chartered by noted charlatan and showman Walter “Death Valley” Scott passed through Joliet, Illinois at 11:02 a.m. en route to Chicago. Crowds lined the tracks to see the train charge through town. The train finally came to a stop in Chicago, having made the run of 2,265 miles from Los Angeles in 44 hours and 54 minutes!

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of “The Scott Special,” the Blackhawk Chapter produced an exhibit displayed during the July and August of 2005 at the Joliet Area Historical Museum incorporating historical accounts, promotional items and a model of “The Scott Special” as it approached Joliet at Santa Fe's Lorenzo station. Books and maps rounded out the exhibit and railroad-related activities for both adults and children were held in July and August to accompany this exhibit.

Griffith Historical Park
and Depot Museum

The Blackhawk Chapter was successful in securing an
NRHS Railway Heritage Grant for the Griffith (Indiana) Historical Society to help move the former EJ&E interlocking tower to the museum site, saving it from demolition.