Kings Mills Trolley Station

Interurban Railway Station, In Operation from 1901-1922

Kings Mills, Ohio

The Interurban Railway Company operated several railways throughout the Cincinnati area. In some ways, it can be said that Cincinnati had better public transportation at the turn of the last century than it does now.

I've heard two stories, one this railway went from Lebanon, Ohio to Reading, Ohio. At Reading, it connected to a network of other Railways. I've also heard that this Interurban Railway line went all of the way to downtown Cincinnati. It was said of the second story that it was part of the line that went through Pleasant Ridge. What is interesting is that the recent proposed light rail system is similar in position to the later mentioned route.

Sometime around 1927, the tracks were removed. This railway could not be used for other purposes because the rail spacing used here was an unusual gauge.

I have been told that this station also provided power and was a bit larger than most stations because it was also a powerhouse. Supposedly, the coal/steam powered electric generator was located in the room where the bay windows are shown in the picture. (Today, that room is my kitchen)

The cargo room in the back apparently must have carried dangerous cargo (remember, the King Powder company was very nearby). The reason I say this is that the wall between that room and the rest of the house is lined with thick 2x6's . Or, possibly to protect workers in the event of a boiler explosion. It's also been said that it was a passenger line only but I found receipts for transporting gas tanks in the attic from 1916.

I have heard that parachutes where folded there during WWII. They were sowed in other building behind the house, which no longer exists.

In later years, the house was used by King Powder Company as a temporary office while new offices where being built. It served a temporary general store. It also was used as barber shop in the front portion of the building (not pictured).

Today, it serves as my house. Much of it looks similar to this picture except, no tracks, shingled roof was change to tin at one time. My garage is located about the position where the service trolley car is located in this picture.

The large place on the roof where the wires protrude from no longer exists, it appears to have been removed a number of years ago.

The Trolleys are referred to by a number of names: Trolley Lines, Traction Lines, Rapid Transit, Interurban Railway lines, etc.

This Trolley line provided transportation to King Mills during the first World War, the Peters Cartridge Factory and King Powder company provided a great number of jobs in those times and the Trolley line was a major way of getting employees to work each day.

So light rail is not such a new thing, it moved many people

BREAKING NEWS - Kings Mills History

PETERS & KING - The birth and evolution of the Peters Cartridge Co. & the King Powder Co.

It is finally in print.  You can call 513-774-722, Thomas Schiffer Jr. for Information or

The publisher:

Krause Publications

 700 E. State Street

 Iola WI 54990-0001

Ph 715-445-2214

 

ISBN: 0-87349-363-X

Lib. Congress #: 2001096279

Related Links:

Deerfield Township Web Page

 

Train Web

Proposed light rail for Cincinnati, LIGHTRAIL.NET

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