From trail to railway through the Appalachians

"From Trail to Railway through the Appalachians" by Albert Perry Brigham is a historical narrative that recounts how travel changed in the eastern United States, specifically the shift from simple trails to complex railway systems. The book looks at the land and history to link the physical world with what people tried to achieve during this time of big change. It starts by talking about how important Boston was and the problems with trade and getting around after the American Revolution. The author talks about the tough Berkshire mountains and how they made it hard to connect New England with the growing western areas. The story also mentions the first attempts to build roads and railways to get over these obstacles and how America slowly became more connected, which helped business and travel grow. The beginning chapter makes it clear that where things are, what happened in the past, and how things grew are all connected in this region.