Wabash River Bridge

Wabash River Bridge. From Canal Town To Railroad Hub. , In 1854 a train crossed the Wabash River and chugged into Peru for the first time, launching a vital part of the town's history. The current 587-foot long truss bridge was built in 1940. The limestone block piers from the original structure are still in use today. , The arrival of that first train, the Peru and Indianapolis Railroad, would be a turning point in Peru's importance as a transportation hub to this day-a hub in which rail cars and water craft would share leading roles at different times. The context for Peru's rich history of transportation started in 1816, when Indiana became a state. Native Americans still occupied the unsettled northern portion of Indiana, but that changed in 1829, when the federal government signed a treaty with the Native Americans to cede the land on the north bank of the Wabash River. This opened the way for the government to build the historic Wabash and Erie Canal. New settlements began sprouting along the proposed canal route, the first being Miamisport, platted in 1829 by Joseph Holman. By 1832, Miamisport needed to expand it looked west for growth This angered William Hood, who owned property to the east. Hood hired engineers from the Wabash and Erie Canal to plat Peru. He offered free lots to people and churches who would move from Miamisport to Peru. Hood wanted Peru to be the county seat, so he donated property for a courthouse and jail. A vote was taken, and the electorate granted Hood's wish. The vote would lead to Miamisport's demise in 1841 and be a forerunner of Peru becoming incorporated in 1848 and later, the Miami County seat. Meanwhile, the Wabash and Erie canal was opened to Peru in 1837. The canal played a key role in the growth of Indiana's population and economy. Next, Indiana borrowed $10 million to build canals, roads and railroads throughout the state and connect the state capitol. The Central Canal was designed to connect the upper reaches of the Wabash and Erie Canal, near Peru, with Evansville and the Ohio River via Indianapolis. But the depression of 1839-1843, along with mismanagement of borrowed funds, precluded the successful completion of the project. Businessmen in Peru still wanted a connection to Indianapolis. This led to the Peru and Indianapolis railroad being incorporated January 19, 1846. The first railroads were seen as adjuncts to the rivers and canals, feeding water craft goods that could be moved along the waterways. However, as it become evident that the railroads could serve a much larger purpose, a love affair with trains burgeoned throughout the nation. By 1856, the romance had boiled to a point that would change the country and the world forever. It now took only hours to reach a destination, instead of days By 1874, canals had become a thing of the past. The Wabash and Erie Canal closed in 1876, but remnants can be seen in Peru, as underneath this railroad bridge which is now part of the Nickel Plate Trail.