Wet britches and muddy boots : a history of travel in Victorian America / John H. White, Jr.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

White, John H., 1933-

Contributor:

Smerk, George M.

Series:

Railroads past and present.

Railroads past & present

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Travel--History--19th century.

Travel.

Transportation--United States--History--19th century.

Transportation.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (544 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Bloomington : Indiana University Press, c2013.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

What was travel like in the 1880's? Was it easy to get from place to place? Were the rides comfortable? How long did journeys take? Wet Britches and Muddy Boots describes all forms of public transport from canal boats to oceangoing vessels, passenger trains to the overland stage. Trips over long distances often involved several modes of transportation and many days, even weeks. Baggage and sometimes even children were lost en route. Travelers might start out with a walk down to the river to meet a boat for the journey to a town where they caught a stagecoach for the rail junction to catch

Contents:

Transportation for hire: from human burden to taxis

Down that long and dusty road : stagecoach travel in America

The omnibus : travel for all citizens

Streetcars : that most democratic conveyance

Ferryboats : crossing the rivers and bays

Canals : the low and slow way to go

River steamers : white swans on the inland rivers

Lake steamers : on the inland sea

Coastal and sound steamers : close to shore

Ocean sail : at the mercy of the wind

Ocean steam : the triumph of technology

Emigrant travel : a nation of nations

Passenger trains : coach class

Passenger trains : first class

Appendix : Travel words and tales.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1-283-73543-1

0-253-00558-2

OCLC:

828304087