William Barstow Strong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Barstow Strong
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| Born | May 16, 1837 |
| Died | August 3, 1914 (aged 77) |
| Spouse(s) | Abbie J. Moore |
William Barstow Strong (born May 16, 1837, died August 3, 1914) was a very important person in the history of American railroads. He was the president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (often called the Santa Fe Railway) from 1881 to 1889. People often called him William B. Strong or W. B. Strong.
Contents
Early Life and Railroad Career
William Barstow Strong was born in Brownington, Vermont, on May 16, 1837. He grew up and later went to Bell's Business College in Chicago, Illinois. He finished his studies there in 1855.
Starting in Railroads
Right after college, William Strong began his career in the railroad business. His very first job was working as a station agent for the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad. His older brother, James, helped him get this job.
On October 2, 1859, William Strong married Abbie J. Moore in Beloit, Wisconsin. They had three children together: one girl and two boys.
Moving Up in Railroad Companies
William Strong worked hard and moved through many different jobs at several railroad companies. He gained a lot of experience at places like the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway, the McGregor Western Railway, and the Chicago and North Western Railway.
He also worked for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q). In the 1870s, he became the superintendent of the Michigan Central Railroad. A superintendent is like a manager who oversees operations. After working there, he returned to the CB&Q.
Soon after, he joined the management team of the Santa Fe Railway as their General Manager. He was so good at his job that he was promoted to Vice President within just one month!
Leading the Santa Fe Railway
On July 12, 1881, William Strong became the president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF). He took over from T. Jefferson Coolidge.
Growing the Railroad
During his time as president, the Santa Fe Railway grew a lot. It expanded to about 7,000 miles (11,265 kilometers) of tracks. This huge expansion made the Santa Fe Railway the largest railroad in North America at that time!
William Strong stayed as president until he retired in 1889.
Places Named After William Strong
William Barstow Strong was such an important figure that several places were named in his honor:
- The city of Barstow, California, was named after him. The Santa Fe Railway had large shops and facilities there to build and fix trains.
- The town of Strong City, Kansas, also carries his name.
- Stronghurst, Illinois, is another place named to honor him.
Other Uses of His Name
William Barstow Strong's name has been used in other interesting ways:
- An observation car owned by the Santa Fe Railway was named William Barstow Strong. This special train car was used for business trips in the later part of the 1900s.
- His name, William B. Strong, was included on a list that traveled aboard NASA's Stardust spacecraft. This spacecraft visited a comet called Wild 2 in 2004.
- An observation car on the Royal Gorge Scenic Railway in Colorado is also named William B. Strong.
