Wellsville Historical Society to Present Wayne A. Cole

This coming Sunday, July 12, at 2 P.M. at Wellsville's Riverside Museum the Historical Society will present author Wayne A. Cole. Mr. Cole will show a Powerpoint presentation and talk on the history of street cars and buses. Mr. Cole is probably the foremost expert on the history of railroads, street cars and buses in our region.

Mr. Cole is a retired English teacher from Blackhawk High School and lives in a log cabin house he designed and had built in South Beaver, PA. He is the Director & Curator of the Little Beaver Historical Society. He is also the author of several books including a series of books called Ghost Trails. That series details the research and his findings in the history of long gone railroads and street car companies and the routes they followed in our area. I recently acquired his book Ghost Trails III and it is loaded with pictures along with facts of the long gone era when travel by rail was the main source of transportation over land.

Sunday's presentation will include a history and photos of the "yellow car" line that street cars traveled up and down the valley that later turned into Route 7. Rail travel played a big roll in Wellsville's history transporting passengers and freight. It was a time long before there were automobiles and trucks and the highway systems we know today. Starting in the mid-1800s it eventually replaced horse drawn drays and stage coaches that moved passengers and goods that got here or departed on the river.

You won't want to miss this program. As always it is open to the public and free of admission. The museum will also be open for touring Sunday from 1 - 4:30 P.M. You might like to check out the Railroad Room chuck full of historical memorabilia from Wellsville's past. Signed books that Mr. Cole wrote will be available for sale.

ole nib