Interurban Railways and Urban America

Abstract

Electric interurban railways emerged as a new transportation alternative for a brief period in the early decades of the twentieth century. The extent of this development varied widely, with some states getting extensive networks and others having little or nothing. Where present, interurbans shaped urban growth. Larger cites grew more rapidly in states with more interurbans. In Indiana, populations of cities and towns served by more interurban lines increased faster. Interurbans appear to have been associated with more suburban development in large metropolitan areas. The growth of the greater Los Angeles area was shaped by the vast Pacific Electric interurban system. Those cities that had interurban service grew at a faster pace than the rest of the area in the early decades of the twentieth century.

Keywords: Interurban, Urban Growth, Pacific Electric, Transportation, Indiana, Los Angeles, Southern California