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Horse Car Era Photo Gallery Most of the photographs that follow have been published some many times. I have attempted to place them in their historical context and to high light what is significant about each picture. When I was unsure of the facts you will find the word "probably" in the caption meaning this is my best estimate of location or date. hc1 - The High Street Line
This photo from 1863 taken at Broad and High Streets looking southeast toward the State Capital Building may be the oldest Columbus horsecar photograph in existence. Columbus historian Ed Lentz pointed out in his April 2006 newspaper column that this photo was an early attempt to record history in the making. Columbus was an important and busy mustering point for solders heading to the Civil War making this, Columbus' first streetcar line a potentially good investment. When business declined after the Civil War these two horse cars were replaced with one horse cars. Also the double track was taken up, sold and replace with light single track. Some of these 16' cars were sold and some were split and rebuilt into two smaller cars. (Photo from the Columbus Public Library collection) hc2 - Columbus Union Depot
A Columbus Street Railway Company horsecar is south bound on N. High Street crossing the Columbus Union Depot tracks. The depot located on the east side of N. High Street was the first of three on this site. It was built in 1850 and replaced in 1875. The street car line was built in 1863 placing this picture between 1864 and 1865 when the two horse cars were replaced with single horse cars. The original line ran from the railway station to Mound Street in south Columbus a distance of 1.2 miles. Late in 1864 the service was extended north crossing the station tracks to Poplar Street where the stables for the Columbus Street Railway were located. This crossing would became so congested that in 1875 a tunnel was constructed under the tracks for the use of the horse cars. Horsecar drivers were instructed to walk their horses across the track crossings as a horse could easily get a hoof caught in the rails. (Photo from the DAK collection) hc3 - Union Depot to the State University car
A close up of an early Columbus Street Railway Company one horse horsecar on N. High Street or possibly Neil Ave. This car ran from Union Depot to the State University. Service on the Neil Ave line was initiated in 1874. This photo was probably taken in the late 1870s The early cars were unheated and the company put straw on the floor for insulation. When combined with the mud, tobacco juice and moisture it must have been a potent brew. The vent in the center of the roof offered some ventilation. This car could travel about six miles per hour. (Photo from the DAK collection) hc4 - High Street Line
This photo is taken at Broad & High Streets looking south. The State House is off camera to the left. The building on the right is the Huntington Bank Building. This photo looks to be in the 1870s time period. A one horse, horsecar is north bound headed for Union Depot. That original first horsecar line ran from Columbus Union depot on North High Street to Mound Street on South High Street a distance of about 1.2 miles. It was a big hit with the solders when built in 1863 during the "Rebellion" as the Civil War was known at the time. (Photo from the DAK collection) hc5 - High Street Line
hc11 - High Street Line at Union Station
The streetcar subway under the tracks in front of Union Depot built in 1875 was taken in 1888 or late 1887. The photo is looking north along High Street with the station off camera to the right. An overpass is under construction that will take the horse cars and soon electric streetcars over the tracks rather than under. This work is in preparation for the Grand Army of the Republic and Ohio's 75 birthday exhibitions both held at the fair grounds in 1888. The subway under the tracks was necessary due to the heavy train traffic that tied up High Street. It was reported that on some days High Street was blocked for up to seven hours. However, the subway was never popular with the public due to the dank unsanitary conditions of the tunnels thanks to the horse droppings and poor drainage. The climb out of the subway was hard work for the horses. A helper mule was posted at the subway exit and was used to assist the horse cars up the incline. It can be seen in the photo waiting for a horse car to help up the hill. (Photo from the DAK collection)
hc6 - High Street Line
This photo was taken in the summer of 1888 in preparation for The Grand Army of the Republic encamped in Columbus . Fifty straw wagons paraded through Columbus on their way to the four camp grounds were the vets were staying. The photo was probably taken on High Street. (Photo from the DAK collection) hc7 - Long Street Line
The Long Street line ran from the Franklin County Court House, located on South High Street between Fulton and Mound Streets, north on High Street to Long Street, east on Long Street to Parkwood Ave then south to Franklin Park. The Franklin Park end of the line seemed to have some variations when first built that may have included some running on Broad Street to Alum Creek. The photo appears to have been taken from a car barn entrance with the track in the foreground curving toward the car barn door. The Columbus Public Library lists this photo as taken in 1888. (Photo from the DAK collection) hc8 - High Street Line
Columbus Consolidated Street Railway horsecar on the High Street line. The Columbus Public Library lists this photo as taken 1890 in front of the "old car barn". The Consolidated Company had a horsecar barn at Chittenden Ave and High Street which burned in 1891. The last digit on the car number makes no sense as it looks like an inverted 6. It is possible the painter just got it wrong. (Photo from the DAK collection) hc9 - The end of the line
Abandoned horse cars sitting in a vacant lot. This is probably the southeast corner of Rose Ave and Oak street across from the Rose Ave shops. (Later Rose Ave would be renamed Kelton Ave). The last horsecar line to be electrified was the Oak Street line in February 1892. Some of these car bodies were sold for use as farm buildings or in at least one case a back yard chicken coop. Some of the better two horse cars were used as trailers for the electrified streetcars. (Photo from the DAK collection) hc10 - Glenwood & Green Lawn Railroad Company
The Glenwood & Green Lawn Railroad Co. served West Broad Street from High Street on the east to the Asylums located on West Broad Street. It also had a branch on Glenwood Ave that ran from West Broad Street to Green Lawn Cemetery. This picture would have been taken between 1875 and 1891. The car is setting on a turntable at either the Green Lawn or Asylum end of the line. This streetcar company was built to 3' 6" gauge making the cars smaller than the 5' 2" gauge Columbus Consolidated Street Railway Co. used. In 1891 the line was electrified and changed to the 5' 2" gauge. It became part of the Columbus Street Railway Co. in 1892. (Photo from the DAK collection)
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