Special thanks to Louis Schmidt for his kindness in donating this photo and comments to this web page.
As you can see from the note Louis wrote on the photo that he identifies the date of the coming of the train to Cheltenham as Dec. 1, 1852. Below are some sources I have found which dispute this view.
What is fairly clear is that the are was still called SULPHUR SPRINGS when the first railroad came.
p. 481: (This must have been Louis Scmidt's source -- it matches exactly what he wrote on the
photo of the engine:) "On the first day of December, 1852, the first locomotive whistle west of the Mississippi River sounded at seven o'clock
in the morning. The locomotive stood in the Pacific Railroad tracks just west of Fourteenth Street....The train was run out to the end of the track
laying a short distance yeyond the Manchester Ave. Crossing....
"p. 482. "The section of road then opened was from the St. Louis teminus to Sulphur Springs as it was then called -- afterwards Cheltenham. Two coaches were occupied by the guests. The distance traveled was about five miles. At Sulphur Springs lunch was served and speeches of congratulation were made. 'For a new road, we may say advisedly that there is not a better built road in the Union,' the paper commented next morning."
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I will try to get to the Missouri Historical Society as soon as I can to get full details.
Sept. 20, 2002
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