Madison in Jefferson County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Indiana's First Railroad / Madison's Boat Builders

Streetside History

Indiana's First Railroad Marker (<i>east side</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 26, 2021

1. Indiana's First Railroad Marker (east side)

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Indiana's First Railroad
[east side]Visible just downriver from here is an abandoned section of track from the first operating railroad in Indiana. The Madison and Indianapolis R.R. began service in 1838, and its famous Inclined Plane was an engineering wonder of the time. Today a modern 26-mile railroad still operates from Madison's hilltop to North Vernon.

Madison's Boat Builders
[west side]Madison produced its first steamboat in 1836. By the 1850s, the Madison Marine Railway and Shipyard had become a major industry in Madison. Located about a half mile west of here, the shipyard employed 200 workers who built new steamboats, ferries and barges. They also repaired and refurbished older boats. The shipyard closed in the late 1940s.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1838.

Location. 38° 44.099′ N, 85° 23.487′ W. Marker is in Madison, Indiana, in Jefferson

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County. Marker is at the intersection of West Vaughn Drive and Vernon Street, on the left when traveling west on West Vaughn Drive. Marker is located near the west end of the Madison Riverwalk. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Madison IN 47250, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Madison's Riverfront / Underground Railroad (approx. 0.2 miles away); Railroad on the Riverfront / Madison's Iron Foundries (approx. 0.2 miles away); Cravens Square (approx. ¼ mile away); Lanier's Legacy (approx. ¼ mile away); Lower Seminary School / Trolley Barn (approx. ¼ mile away); Servicing the Automobile / Building Roads (approx. ¼ mile away); James F. D. Lanier (approx. 0.3 miles away); Crystal Beach (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Madison.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Streetside History • Madison, Indiana

Also see . . .
1. Madison Railroad Incline Cut. The Madison, Indianapolis & Lafayette Railroad was the State’s first railroad, running 20 miles between Madison and North Vernon. Eventually the line would extend to Indianapolis. The part of the tracks known as “the incline” or “the cut” begins north of the intersection of West Main and McIntire Streets. Mostly Irish laborers built the incline over the course of five years. For several years,

Madison’s Boat Builders Marker (<i>west side</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 26, 2021

2. Madison’s Boat Builders Marker (west side)

horses pulled train cars up the incline, as there was no engine powerful enough for that task. About 1848, a cog wheel system was implemented, allowing specially fitted engines to climb the hill. In 1868, the engine Reuben Wells was created. Named for its maker, this 56-ton engine was heavy enough to cling to the tracks without the assistance of cogs. (Submitted on September 8, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Madison’s Shipyards. In its heyday, it was the shipyards perhaps more than anything else that gave Madison the economic boost necessary for the little town to flourish. By the early 1840’s the focus of shipyard activity had shifted to the west end of town. There, near the foot of the present railroad cut, a large drydock was built around 1840. By 1850 the Madison Marine Railway was established on that spot and began building not only packet steamers, but also ferries and barges. (Submitted on September 8, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Marker detail: Madison's Inclined Plane image. Click for full size.

3. Marker detail: Madison's Inclined Plane

Marker detail: Madison Railroad Station, Circa 1900 image. Click for full size.

4. Marker detail: Madison Railroad Station, Circa 1900

Marker detail: Madison Marine Railway & Shipyard image. Click for full size.

5. Marker detail: Madison Marine Railway & Shipyard

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 26, 2021

6. Indiana's First Railroad Marker (east side)

(looking west along the Madison Riverwalk • Ohio River on left)

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 26, 2021

7. Madison’s Boat Builders Marker (west side)

(looking east along the Madison Riverwalk • Ohio River on right)

Abandoned Track • First Operating Railroad in Indiana image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 26, 2021

8. Abandoned Track • First Operating Railroad in Indiana

(looking west from west end of the Madison Riverwalk)

Restored Madison Railroad Depot image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 26, 2021

9. Restored Madison Railroad Depot

(preserved by the Jefferson County Historical Society, about ½ mile northeast of this marker)

Credits. This page was last revised on September 9, 2021. It was originally submitted on September 8, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 185 times since then and 71 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on September 8, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.