Romeoville|Local Event
What’s Coming Down the Line? The Railroad in the American Mind with Michael Matejka
Event Details
Illinois is the nation’s railroad crossroads. This not only shaped the state’s economy and communities but created an industry with a cultural allure. The speeding locomotive was a real-life representation of progress, and people gathered trackside to marvel at the big city opulence represented by an Illinois-built Pullman car. Rail workers were seen as heroic as they faced an extremely dangerous occupation. The railroad became a cultural symbol, reflected in advertising, cinema, and children’s toys.
Join speaker, historian, writer, and community organizer (with a passion for Illinois labor history!), Michael Matejka for an engaging presentation about Romeoville, Chicagoland, and Illinois railroad history. This event is generously sponsored by the Illinois Humanities "Road Scholars Speakers Bureau" in which speakers travel across Illinois to bring art, culture, history, and contemporary social issues to life, making the humanities accessible to all!