{"id":515,"featured":0,"modified":"2026-04-17 19:48:36","latitude":40.1049340000000000827640178613364696502685546875,"longitude":-85.679113510204075510046095587313175201416015625,"title":"Union Traction Company Shops","subtitle":"","fullsize":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/c11642a04d6455bbd1a3909306f7e155.jpg","address":"1106 Meridian St, Anderson, IN 46016","all_locations":[],"zoom":14,"creator":["Anderson Public Library"],"description":"In 1891, Charles Henry, a prominent attorney and politician from Anderson, acquired the “mule car” streetcar system in Anderson. In the six years following, he developed eleven miles of track inside the city on which twenty-one electric streetcars ran. It was one of Indiana’s first interurban lines, the Union Traction Company of Indiana. It ran first from Anderson to Alexandria, then to Indianapolis, Marion, Muncie, and Kokomo. The company also ran streetcar lines in Anderson, Elwood, Marion, and Muncie.<br />\r\n<br />\r\nThe interurban lines alleviated the isolation of rural Indiana.  Instead of being limited by the speed of a horse on poor roads, those with money could take advantage of the interurban with its cheap, high-speed service to nearby cities.  <br />\r\nThis would not only enable the people of small towns to travel to big cities for visitation, but the interurban would allow for people to seek employment in big cities without moving from their small towns. These individuals basically commuted to work daily.<br />\r\n<br />\r\nThe powerhouse generated the electricity to run the Anderson area of the system. The shops were where the cars were built, inspected, and repaired. Both were located on what is now Broadway Street just north of the White River. <br />\r\n<br />\r\nIn 1930, the Union Traction Company of Indiana was acquired by Indiana Railroad. They also purchased several other interurban lines creating a new system. It ran for ten years, and by the end of 1941, the interurban service was dead.<br />\r\n<br />\r\nMost of the transit complex north of the White River were destroyed in a fire. Some of the powerhouse and shops building survive with the company logo on the side of the building.","sponsor":null,"accessinfo":"","lede":"","website":"","related_resources":[],"factoids":[],"files":{"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/c11642a04d6455bbd1a3909306f7e155.jpg":{"id":2426,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Union Traction Car 278","description":"A Union Traction streetcar in Cincinnati, Ohio circa 1900. This car has a pilot, or cattle catcher, on the front end.  | Circa 1900","thumbnail":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/square_thumbnails/c11642a04d6455bbd1a3909306f7e155.jpg"},"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/a1ffbce3e94f82d5bd28e01a6a4c844b.jpg":{"id":2427,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Anderson Depot","description":"The Anderson Depot in 1932. By this time the Union Traction Company had been bought by the Midland Utilities Company, and the rail line reached Muncie and Marion. | Circa 1932 | W.H. Bass Photo Company","thumbnail":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/square_thumbnails/a1ffbce3e94f82d5bd28e01a6a4c844b.jpg"},"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/9cb9632b58e2b7a8a030ba14096475ad.jpg":{"id":2428,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Union Traction Power House","description":"A postcard of the Indiana Union Traction System power house in Anderson, postmarked June 1909. | 1909","thumbnail":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/square_thumbnails/9cb9632b58e2b7a8a030ba14096475ad.jpg"},"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/43d9b3f08977b4112e8dd627b5d5c3e0.jpg":{"id":2429,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Union Traction Shops","description":"A postcard of the Union Traction Shops in Anderson.  | Circa 1900s","thumbnail":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/square_thumbnails/43d9b3f08977b4112e8dd627b5d5c3e0.jpg"},"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/80b9ef82c973a99c7f989eb8bf569182.jpg":{"id":2430,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Union Traction Company Employees","description":"The Union Traction streetcar motormen and conductors in an office in Anderson, circa 1900.  | Anderson Public Library | Circa 1900","thumbnail":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/square_thumbnails/80b9ef82c973a99c7f989eb8bf569182.jpg"}}}