Robert Edmund Strahorn Early Railroad Entrepreneur 1852-1944

Robert Edmund Strahorn Early Railroad Entrepreneur 1852-1944. Carrie Adell Strahorn Early Western Journalist 1854-1925. Robert Strahorn was the son of Thomas F. and Rebecca E. Strahorn. In 1856, Robert's family moved to a farm in Northern Illinois. Although he attended school for only a few years, private reading and study broadened his knowledge. He began learning the printer's trade, when his family moved to Sedalia, Missouri. In 1870 he worked in Denver, Colorado, as a newspaper reporter, editor, and corespondent. During the Great Sioux Wars of 1875-1876, he was with General George Crook, acting as a special correspondent for the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and Denver News, often participating in the fighting at the front, using a gun as well his pen. He was commended for gallantry and helpfulness to the government., Robert was well aware of the possibilities of Western expansion. His writings caught the eye of Jay Gould, a railroad tycoon who saw in Robert a talent for reporting and developing Western resources. It was a wonderful opportunity for Strahorn to promote the West., During this time, Robert fell in love with Carrie Adell "Dell" Green, and they were married on September 19, 1877. It was a marriage that proved to be fortuitous. Robert was involved with the publicity bureaus of several railroads, so the honeymoon was employment as well as pleasure. Robert and Dell helped establish several towns, including Caldwell, Weiser, Payette, Shoshone, and Hailey in Idaho., Robert entered the business world of land speculation and the development of town sites, irrigation, and power throughout the Northwest, always with an eye to the possibles of the future railroad lines. One venture with James J. Hill and the Great Northern Railroad centered on Bellingham, Washington, but Hill backed out. It was a financial disaster for Strahorn. To recoup his losses, he and Dell moved to Boston, Massachusetts. Here he became acquainted with Union Pacific developer Edward H. Harriman, with whom Strahorn was secretly associated for many years. In 1898, the Strahorns moved to Spokane, where he became actively involved in development projects. It was said he could keep a secret so well that he became popularly known as the "Railroad Sphinx.", Robert's enterprise and executive ability ushered him into prominence as the promoter and builder of the North Coast Railroad, bringing the coastal cities into direct connection with Walla Walla and Spokane. Robert was president and active manager. His activities were not limited to the Spokane area. Hundreds of miles of roads were surveyed throughout Eastern Washington some constructed and paid for by his personal check for several million dollars., Among his many important personal enterprises was the Northwest Light and Water Company owning waterpower, electric lighting and waterworks plants in various cities in the Northwest, including the Yakima Valley Power Company and the Pasco Reclamation Company. He also organized and built the Spokane Union Station, which served five railways in one passenger terminal and provided one central zone through the heart of the city., After Dell died in 1925, Robert married Ruby Garland, a businesswoman in San Francisco in 1927. Both died there-Robert on March 31, 1944, at age 92 and Ruby on May 1, 1936. He was admired for his philanthropy, and also known as a man who made and lost at least three fortunes in his lifetime., Robert authored many pamphlets and books about the West and wrote his autobiography shortly before his death., 2nd Panel , Carrie Adell "Dell” Green was born January 1, 1854, in Marengo, Illinois to noted surgeon Dr. John E. Green and Louise Babcock. Dell was one of the first generation of women to study at the University of Michigan and became involved with the women's suffrage movement. She studied under some of the foremost American and European vocal masters, and supplemented her education at seven colleges and universities. When she married Robert Strahorn in 1877, she was a woman of grace and refinement. At her request, the word "obey" was removed from the wedding ceremony., Dell vowed as a young girl she would never be a pioneer. However, immediately after her marriage, she set out with her husband on a journey thousands of miles by stagecoach, horseback, and railroad car to remote regions of the West. Dell was the first white woman to make a complete tour and describe the magnificent scenery of Yellowstone Park, Glacier Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. She also climbed Pikes Peak and Gray's Peak in Colorado, surviving a devastating snow and electrical storm. Dell was one of the first to travel to and write about the wilds of Alaska. During one of their trips, Robert was offered six ponies and two blankets by a group of Indians in exchange for her., It was not an easy life. Many times she was so stiff she had to be lifted from her horse with tears streaming down her face, but she never gave up. She was a frequent contributor to the columns of various eastern publications for many years, extolling the merits of the western resources. In her writings, she used the pen name "A. Stray" for Adell Strahorn or the name "Emerald" for her maiden name of Green. Her greatest literary accomplishment is her book Fifteen Thousand Miles By Stage, a memoir based on letters she had written home about her travels. , Her public life and accomplishments were the inspiration and pride of many communities in the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Coast states. Dell helped establish many churches and founded and supported educational and charitable institutions. She was credited with much of her husband's success., The Strahorns had key roles planning and constructing the Oregon Short Line Railroad. Their planning and work led to the founding of the City of Caldwell, Idaho in 1883, and their steadfast support to the establishment of the College of Idaho, in 1891. The fortune that Robert had made from his investments provided them with a lovely residence in Spokane to entertain their many friends and business associates. In 1913 the Strahorns hosted a lavish reunion of the people they called "The Idaho pioneers.” The Strahorns sent a special railroad car to Caldwell to transport a group of more than a dozen to the party., Dell was a member of the Esther Reed Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, and is the namesake for the Jonas Babcock Chapter (her patriot ancestor) in Spokane. Dell died at the age of 71 during a visit to San Francisco, on March 17, 1925. Her funeral was attended by hundreds who called her friend and benefactor. In the eulogy at her funeral, Rev. W. J. Boone of Caldwell said: , "The radiance of her, her wonderful good cheer in unfavorable circumstances, her power to recover from defeat were all there. Time and again her way was not rosy, and her road was full of obstacles. She was always loyal to her friends, high and low, rich and poor. There was no one like Mrs. Strahorn.", In 1926, Robert built Strahorn Memorial Library, on the campus of the College of Idaho, to serve as a memorial to Dell's contributions to Idaho and education. In 1967, when a new library was built, it was renamed Strahorn Hall and became a classroom and faculty office building. Strahorn Hall was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It stands as Caldwell's tribute to both Robert and Carrie Adell Strahorn., In 1927. Robert donated money to create the Strahorn Memorial Library, in Dell's hometown of Marengo, Illinois, on the site of her family home. The library was officially opened in 1930, and is now a non-circulating research library, which focuses on all aspects of railroading., 3rd Panel , Strahorn's Tudor-style home was originally built in 1887 by pioneer J.J. Browne. The Strahorns purchased the property in 1900. It was remodeled extensively by architects Kittland K. Cutter and H.G. Malgren and renamed Strahorn Pines. Located at 2216 West Fifth Avenue in Browne's Addition, it was beautifully landscaped with rare trees and flowers. It contained 20 rooms, including nine bathrooms and ten fireplaces, with a one lane bowling alley in the basement. It was the first home in Spokane to have a hot water steam heating system and one of the first to be fully electrified., In 1929, the home and carriage house were converted into apartments. The Cheney Cowles Memorial Museum Foundation purchased the property in July 1968. It was later deeded to the Eastern Washington State Historical Society. The mansion was demolished in May 1974. Many items were taken from the home and preserved by the society. The entire property is now the home of the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.