Historic Transportation Timetables Collection

Collection — sc_box: 5, Folder: 53

Identifier: MS-951

Staff Only

Collection Scope and Content Summary

Collection, circa 1911-1933, of ten historic timetables from various forms of mass transportation in Michigan. The majority of the materials were produced by railroad companies whose routes traversed some portion of Michigan, such as the Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railway, whose Mineral Range Railroad operated extensively in the Upper Peninsula. Steamboat companies conducted leisure tours of the Great Lakes and bus lines attempting to establish themselves as modern travel options are also represented in this assembled collection. While all of the documents include elements of a schedule, several also incorporate extensive advertisements for leading hotels and attractions, allowing the researcher a deeper look into the logistics and experiences of Michigan travel in the early 20th century.

Dates

circa 1911-circa 1933

Language of Material

English

Access

Available for use in the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections.

Conditions Governing Use

Various copying restrictions apply. Guidelines are available from Michigan Technological University Archives & Copper Country Historical Collections.

Historical Note

While the Historic Transportation Timetables Collection includes items from many companies, of greatest interest to those focused on transportation in the Copper Country may be the collection's materials pertaining to the Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railway (DSS&A). The DSS&A was formed in 1887 from the foundation laid by several earlier railroad companies, including the Mineral Range Railroad, which began its life in Hancock in 1873. By 1929, its routes spanned the Upper Peninsula and, on its own track or through connections, permitted passengers to voyage to such cities as Chicago and Minneapolis. The rail line struggled to turn a profit under the subsequent ownership of Canadian Pacific Railway and eventually merged with another Canadian Pacific subsidiary, the Soo Line.