The Interurban of Seneca, Illinois: A Brief and Fading Era

"In the month of September, The order came through, To abandon the Line, That was west of Depue."1— Ted Swanson

The Interurban electric railway in Seneca, Illinois, was a fleeting chapter in the town’s history, one that arrived with promise and departed without ever realizing its full potential. Though the line was a part of the greater Illinois Valley transportation network, its local impact was limited due to its brief operation. The Interurban reached Seneca in early 1906, making it the easternmost end of the line until an extension to Morris in 1910. By 1934, the entire system had shut down, with the decline beginning as early as 1929. The rise of paved roads, reliable automobiles, and the economic pressures of the Great Depression all contributed to its demise, making the Interurban an unrealized dream for many in the region.

The Rise of the Interurban System

The Interurban electric railway was part of a broader trend in early 20th-century transportation. Developed as a faster and more efficient alternative to traditional railroads and horse-drawn streetcars, Interurban lines used electric-powered train cars to connect cities and towns. These systems thrived in the Midwest, where expanding urban centers and rural communities needed reliable transportation options. The cars were powered by overhead electric lines and received electricity from substations along the route, allowing them to operate efficiently without the need for coal or steam engines. Interurbans carried not only passengers but also freight, playing a crucial role in commerce by transporting goods such as building materials, agricultural products, and manufactured items between towns.2

Unknown year of the Seneca Station along Armour St. The photograph is from before 1924 due to having another photograph from 1924 showing improvements to the road and outside of the station. Photograph was given to the Seneca Historical Guild.

In Illinois, the Interurban network expanded rapidly, with multiple lines connecting major cities and smaller communities. The Illinois Valley region became an important corridor for these electric railways, linking towns from the Illinois River to the outer edges of Chicago. However, despite their initial success, Interurban systems faced increasing competition from automobiles and improved road infrastructure. What began as an innovative and promising mode of transport ultimately struggled to remain viable in the face of new technology and economic challenges.3

The Dream of the Illini Trail

Schedule for the line published in The Times in Streator, IL on January 1st, 1914.

Before its decline, the Interurban held grand ambitions. Seneca's own Edna Garden named the railway the "Illini Trail" after winning a naming contest, and there were hopes of expanding the electric railway network even further. While the dream of extending the line south past Streator never materialized, the Interurban successfully connected a series of towns stretching from Depue in the west to Chicago in the northeast. The route linked Depue, Spring Valley, Princeton, Ottawa, Marseilles, Seneca, Morris, Joliet, and ultimately, Chicago. Ottawa and Streator were also connected, forming an important junction that allowed passengers and freight to transfer between lines. This network provided a crucial transportation link for people and businesses in the Illinois Valley, even if it was short-lived.4

The line in Seneca ran along Armour Street, just north of the Illinois & Michigan Canal. At the heart of the operation was the McKinley-styled station, which housed the generator that powered the local section of the railway. This station design was influenced by William B. McKinley, one of the primary owners and developers of the Illinois Valley Interurban system. McKinley was instrumental in the early 1910s in expanding the line from Seneca to Morris and eventually to Joliet and Chicago. Though ownership of the Illini Trail changed frequently, McKinley played a significant role in advancing the Interurban system’s reach and infrastructure. His station designs became a hallmark of the railway’s development, and the Seneca substation reflected his architectural style. It served as a hub for passengers, freight, and ticket sales. Though the Interurban was short-lived, its presence left behind stories of the men who operated it, the dangers they faced, and the unique experiences of those who relied on it for transport and goods.

Life on the Line: Memories from Seneca

Ted Swanson, who worked for the Interurban from 1923 to 1933, provided a vivid account of daily life at the Seneca substation.

Ted Swanson with the electric car unknown year. This is along Armour St. in Seneca which is known to the Gran Elevator in the background. Photograph given to the Seneca Historical Guild by his decedents.

"We worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week for $75 per month, with one day off—if anyone could be found to relieve us. Our work was selling tickets, running the big generator, handling the freight and express, sweeping the floors, firing the stoves in cool weather, and cleaning the cars left at the station overnight. Besides passengers, we hauled live chickens, luggage, machinery parts, cement, dynamite, sand and gravel, and building materials."5

His sister, Elsie Rossio, shared fond memories of visiting the station where her brother worked:

"The Interurban station was one of my earliest memories of important places in Seneca. My brother, Ted, was station master in his early 20s. I remember how we would go to visit him in the evening and watch him pull the loaded flatbed baggage wagon over to the Interurban car for loading. A lot of material was moved on those old cars to neighboring towns. I can still hear the clang of the old bell as the train neared Main Street."6

The Danger and Crime on the Line

The work on the Interurban was not only physically demanding but also hazardous. The high-voltage electrical systems posed a constant risk to workers. Newspaper archives recount the tragic death of Frank Mear, a Seneca resident who was electrocuted at the Morris substation in 1914. Mear had misunderstood his instructions and attempted to clean an area with live 33,000-volt wires. He had assumed the power was off, a mistake that cost him his life.7

Ted Swanson himself received a grim warning from his trainer, George Peckham, about the dangers of high-voltage electricity:

"For no reason, get near those wires, young feller. And don’t swing anything close to them either. The voltage in those wires is 33,000 volts. You don’t have to touch those wires to get killed. That high voltage can jump six inches or more and get you."8

Crime also played a role in the history of the Interurban. On December 3, 1917, thirteen convicts escaped from the Joliet Penitentiary, overpowered a guard, and hijacked an Interurban car near Minooka. They robbed the passengers at gunpoint, forcing them to exchange clothes before continuing toward Morris. The criminals abandoned the train near Seneca, splitting up in an attempt to escape. Several fugitives were captured in Seneca by Police Chief Patrick Judge, including two who were found eating at Johnson’s Restaurant. Most of the escapees were recaptured within a few days, though one remained at large for decades before being caught in Georgia in 1950.9

The Interurban’s Rapid Decline

The decline of the Interurban was set in motion as early as 1916 with the passage of the Federal Highway Act. By the time the Great Depression hit, the financial strain proved too much for the electric railway to sustain itself. The final sections of the line were shut down in 1934, and soon the rails were dismantled, the stations abandoned, and the cars either scrapped or sold.

Poem by Ted Swanson from the Daily Republican-Times on February 11th, 1953.

Ted Swanson captured the end of the era in his poem where he humorously writes about a friend during the final years of the Illini Trail:

"Now Murphy got orders, that very same day— 'Take the block signals down, without no delay.' Then Murph said 'I got it!' He let out a shout. 'To bring the blocks in, I'll get my wheelbarrow out.'"10

The poem itself shows the resilience of the people at the beginning of hard times while also showing the willingness to work for a company that is failing.

After the line shut down, Swanson went on to work in electrical repair, carrying his experience from the Interurban into new fields. The station itself remained for several decades but was ultimately torn down in the 1970s. Today, the location of where the station once stood is now occupied by a small ranch home on the north east corner of E. Armour Street and East Street, near the post office.11

Seneca Station being tore down in the 1970s. Photograph was given to the Seneca Historical Guild.

Conclusion

The Interurban of Seneca was a fleeting yet intriguing part of local history. It arrived with the promise of modernized transport but struggled to compete with evolving technology and infrastructure. The stories of its workers, the ambitions of its planners, and the dangers it posed are all reminders of a time when the dream of electric railroads briefly intersected with everyday life in small-town Illinois. While the tracks have long since disappeared, the memories of the Interurban still linger in the stories passed down through generations. The clang of its bell, the hum of its electric engine, and the bustling station may be gone, but their echoes remain in the recollections of those who experienced them. Today, Seneca stands as a testament to a past that once embraced innovation, only to see it fade away with the march of progress. Though the Interurban is now a relic of history, its impact, however brief, shaped the lives of those who worked on it and rode along its tracks, leaving an indelible mark on the town’s heritage.

References

1. The Spectator, "Around The Town," Daily Republican-Times. Ottawa, IL February 11th, 1953.

2. Claire Johnson and Sandra Timmons, The Interurban Railroad, Seneca Historical Guild, 2014. & William Middleton, The Interurban Era, Kalmbach, 1968.

3. Ibid.

4. Claire Johnson and Sandra Timmons, The Interurban Railroad. & "Interurban Operation: Aldermen and Citizens Inspected Line Between Seneca and Bureau," The Times, Streator, IL July 24th, 1907.

5. Ted Swanson, Footmarks on the Floor and Interurban Memories from the 1920s, Seneca Historical Guild Digital Collection, 2014.

6. Ibid.

7. "Interurban Agent at Morris Killed: Frank Mear is Electrocuted at Station—Leaves Wife and Two Daughters," The Times, Streator, IL May 9th, 1914.

8. Ted Swanson, Footmarks on the Floor and Interurban Memories from the 1920s.

9. Frank Hicks, Chicago Ottawa & Peoria—The Illinois Railway, Illinois Railway Museum, 2022.

10. The Spectator, "Around The Town," Daily Republican-Times. Ottawa, IL February 11th, 1953.

11. Claire Johnson and Sandra Timmons, The Interurban Railroad.

Bibliography

Hicks, Frank. Chicago Ottawa & Peoria—The Illinois Railway. Illinois Railway Museum, 2022.

Illini Trail. "Ottawa-Streator Line." The Times. Streator, IL January 1st, 1914.

"Interurban Operation: Aldermen and Citizens Inspected Line Between Seneca and Bureau." The Times. Streator, IL July 24th, 1907.

"Interurban Agent at Morris Killed: Frank Mear is Electrocuted at Station—Leaves Wife and Two Daughters." The Times. Streator, IL May 9th, 1914.

Johnson, Claire and Timmons, Sandra. The Interurban Railroad. Seneca Historical Guild, 2014.

Middleton, William. The Interurban Era. Kalmbach, 1968.

The Spectator. "Around The Town." Daily Republican-Times. Ottawa, IL February 11th, 1953.

The Spectator. "Around The Town." Daily Republican-Times. Ottawa, IL February 15th, 1955

Swanson, Ted. Footmarks on the Floor and Interurban Memories from the 1920s. Seneca Historical Guild Digital Collection, 2014.