The ('''G&CU''') was a
Railroad running west from
Chicago to
Clinton, Iowa and
Freeport, Illinois , never reaching
Galena, Illinois . Incorporated in
1836 , the G&CU became the first railroad built to Chicago.
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The first railroad constructed out of Chicago, the Galena and Chicago Union, was chartered
January 16 ,
1836 , to connect Chicago with the lead mines at Galena. "The Pioneer," the first locomotive on the road, arrived at Chicago on
October 10 ,
1848 , nearly thirteen years after the charter was granted. In
1850 the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad was completed as far as Elgin. The railroad and the canal were vital in the development of Chicago and the population of the city tripled in the six years after the opening of the canal. Eventually other railroads were built and Chicago became the largest railroad center in the world.
The railroad was constructed starting in
March 1848 and was completed in
1853 . The first westbound train out of Chicago departed on
October 25 ,
1848 , pulled by a used
Baldwin -built locomotive named ''
Pioneer ''. The G&CU consolidated with the
Chicago And North Western Railway in
1864 .
- 1 examines the economic effects of the railroad (among other things).
A Chronological History of Chicago: 1673-
Compiled by Chicago Municipal Reference Library, City of Chicago
Updated by Municipal Reference Collection, Chicago Public Library
