Road construction workers dug up buried streetcar rails and brickwork paving.
Construction work in Houston has unearthed old streetcar rails and brick pavers, begging the question: when did Houston have a streetcar?
Ariana Garcia describes the find for the Houston Chronicle, noting that “The discovery quickly drew attention online, prompting a wave of reactions from curious residents and nostalgic Houstonians. On Reddit, users expressed both surprise and regret over what had been lost and covered up.”
According to Garcia, “Streetcars operated in Houston from 1868 to 1940. According to the University of Houston's Houston History Magazine, the main line ran from downtown's Franklin Street, near Buffalo Bayou, up Washington Avenue and Heights Boulevard to 19th Street.” Today, some brick-paved roads remain — some as important historical markers of Houston’s Freedmen’s Town neighborhood, populated by formerly enslaved people — but the streetcars are long gone.
Earlier this month, construction workers also discovered defunct streetcar rails in Chicago.
Read the full story: Unexpected discovery at Houston worksite offers glimpse into city's history
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