Today in History: Cable Cars
Today in History–January 17–the Library of Congress features cable cars. On this day in 1879, San Franciscan Andrew Smith Hallidie patented an improved “Endless Wire Ropeway”, which would become the cable-car system. San Francisco’s success with cable cars led to their introduction in cities across the country. Learn more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below for primary sources related to cable cars and transportation.
Cable car historical newspaper articles
“The Cable Car” (1891 pamphlet)
Related resources
- The Trolley Transforms Transit: A Moment in the History of Transportation Teaching with the Library of Congress
- Primary Source Spotlight: Transportation primary source collections & teaching resources
- Today in History: San Francisco, California