A Note Regarding Resources: Items are listed on this page that enhance work with the topic discussed. Some older items, especially, may include dated practices and ideas that are no longer generally accepted. Resources reflecting current practices are noted whenever possible
Student Reading
Boyer, Edward. River and Canal. New York: Holiday House, 1986.
Text and illustrations provide a sound understanding of the mechanics and use of canals. Highly recommended for readers of all ages.
Coiley, John. Train. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1992.
Full of colorful illustrations and photographs, and enough text to describe briefly the development of trains, how they are built, and how they operate.
Davies, Eryl. Transport on Land, Road & Rail. New York: Franklin Watts, 1992.
A survey of transportation development using colorful illustrations.
Gibbons, Gail. New Road! N.p.: Harper Collins, 1983.
Text and illustrations are simple but informative regarding modern road building.
General Sources
Barnhart, John D., and Donald F. Carmony. Indiana: From Frontier to Industrial Commonwealth. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1954.
Volumes 1 and 2 cover Indiana’s pre-history through the early twentieth century. Excellent standard source.
BROADSIDES: Indiana, the Early Years, Resource Guide. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Bureau, 1987.
Excellent use of primary sources to explore transportation and other topics in early Indiana. Background material.
Buley, R. Carlyle. The Old Northwest: Pioneer Period, 1815-1840. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society, 1950.
Reliable standard source on Indiana’s early formative years.
Fatout, Paul. Indiana Canals. West Lafayette: Purdue University Studies, 1972.
Examination of early canal days in the Wabash and Whitewater valleys of Indiana through the failure of the canal system.
Historical Markers in Indiana. Bulletin No. 14, December 1921. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Commission, 1922.
Survey of known state markers.
Lindley, Harlow, editor. Indiana as Seen by Early Travelers. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Bureau, reprint 1992.
Primary sources prior to 1830.
McCord, Shirley S., compiler. Travel Accounts of Indiana, 1679-1961: A Collection of Observations by Wayfaring Foreigners, Itinerants, and Peripatetic Hoosiers. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Bureau, 1970.
Informative material about travel and travelers throughout Indiana.
Kingsbury, Robert C. An Atlas of Indiana. Bloomington: Indiana University, Department of Geography, 1970.
Excellent source for a wide variety of Indiana maps.
Rose, Albert C. Historic American Roads: From Frontier Trails to Superhighways. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1976.
Over 100 historic roads are surveyed. Maps and illustrations are helpful.
Schlereth, Thomas J. U.S. 40: A Roadscape of the American Experience. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society, 1985.
Compares U.S. 40 from early days to the present. Contains many photographs.
Stewart, George R. U.S. 40: Cross Section of the United States of America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1953.
Interesting cross-disciplinary and cross-sectional study.
Wilson, George R. Early Indiana Trails and Surveys. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society, 1986.
Detailed history of the early trails throughout what would become Indiana. Good maps.
Wixom, Charles W. Pictorial History of Roadbuilding. Washington, D.C.: American Road Builders’ Association, 1975.
Interesting historic photographs accompany limited text.
Special Resources
Classroom materials on canals from the Indiana Historical Bureau :
The Indiana Historian, "Canal Mania in Indiana"
The Indiana Historian, "Canal Construction in Indiana"
Garman, Harry O. Historic Canals of Indiana, rev. 1984.
Garman, Harry O. Whitewater Canal, Cambridge City to the Ohio River, rev. 1984.