Episode 50: Boonsboro Trolley Station Museum

Curator's Choice

All aboard as we delve into Maryland's captivating trolley history at the Boonsboro Trolley Station Museum. Uncover how these transport marvels transformed rural connections, surprising even in funeral processions. With Reuben Moss leading the way, we unravel the intricate impact of trolleys on local trade, education, and the agricultural economy.
💡 Boonesboro's Trolley Tales: Cantaloupes, Power Plants, and Electric Parks! 🎡
This episode delves into the history of Boonesboro, famed for its juicy cantaloupes and bustling trolley system—one of the nation's largest rural-urban networks. Experience the thrill of riding these trolleys and discover the Frederick Company's entrepreneurial zeal as it powered beyond transportation, electrifying rural Maryland with power plants and vibrant electric parks that became community hubs of leisure and excitement.
🎶 Trolley's Last Stand: From Wheels to Wisdom! 📚
Discover the fate of the final four trolleys, some transformed into vibrant libraries! Finally, we share the story of a Washington D.C. DJ who had a dual passion for Beatles tunes and trolley lore, whose efforts have preserved the echoes of the trolley bells in a museum that stands as a testament to this bygone but never-dimming era of transportation's enchanting past.
The Hagerstown & Frederick Railway Historical Society
Oral History Project
This Society is collecting visual and audio records of individuals with stories of the trolley line. These records are added to the Society's archives where they can be used for education and research. If you have a story you would like to share, reach out to Reuben at [e-mail] or write to:
H&FRHS Inc.
P.O. Box 1314
Frederick, MD 21702
www.hfrhs.org/oralhistory
🔗 Episode Links

National Road Museum: NationalRDFoundation.org
Hagerstown & Frederick Railway Historical Society: https://hfrhs.org
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Curator's Choice - A podcast for history nerds and museum lovers

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1. Episode 50: Boonsboro Trolley Station Museum (00:00:00)

2. Start-Trolly vs Streetcar (00:00:34)

3. Building the little station that could (00:05:59)

4. Tourism and Trolleys (00:11:21)

5. Impact of Trolleys on Town Life (00:14:06)

6. Boonsboro Trolley Station (00:19:11)

7. From Trolley Line to Power Company (00:23:58)

8. After (Trolley) Life (00:37:19)

9. 1893 Manual for Starting a Trolley Line (00:43:20)