Transportation History

The Transportation History Collection was established in 1923 by John S. Worley (1876-1956) when he came to the University to head the newly-created Department of Transportation and Railway Engineering. The collection now contains over 70,000 items on various modes of transportation and the infrastructure that supports them.

Charles Ellet, Jr. (1810-1862), a prominent and innovative engineer, used the tools on display here in creating his designs, including one he prepared in 1848 for a bridge at Niagara Falls, New York. Ellet was the first to use wire suspension bridge technology in the United States. He died of a gunshot wound during his service as an army colonel for the Union in the Civil War. Ellet’s papers remained with his family until 1936, when Professor Worley acquired them for the University.