MATTOON, Ill. (WAND) — It was called the Million Dollar Dig. A $1 million project from 1914 to 1917 to dig a subway through Mattoon to allow for the passage of Illinois Central freight and passenger trains.
Steam shovel working to build subway in Mattoon, Illinois circa 1914 for the Illinois Central Railroad. (Photo courtesy: Mattoon Public Library)
Now about 200 photos are on display in the basement of the Mattoon Public Library. Many of the pictures are from the library collection, while others are from rare glass negatives taken by railroad photographers during the construction project.
“With private donated funds seventy 8”x10” glass plate negatives that had been taken by the Illinois Central photographers at the time of the project. And they created absolutely wonderful images,” Chris Suerdieck said. Suerdieck is a library volunteer who spent 6 months developing the exhibit.
The exhibit is in the local history section of the Mattoon Public Library and is open to the public Monday through Friday. Canadian National, which merged with Illinois Central, along with AMTRAK still use the tracks today.
