Lathrop Avenue Viaduct (Racine, Wisconsin): Difference between revisions

==History==

===Early subway (ca. 1908–1931)===

As early as 1858, a railway had been constructed proceeding in an almost perfectly straight line from [[Racine Junction]], on the south side of Racine, to [[Burlington, Wisconsin|Burlington]] {{convert|27|mi|km}} west at the opposite end of the county.<ref>[http://racinecounty.net/Redding%20and%20Watson/Redding%20and%20Watson.htm Redding & Watson's Map of Racine County - 1858], racinecounty.net.</ref> At this time, what would become Lathrop Avenue was an unpaved farm road, which was laid out and given its name around 1908.<ref>[http://racinecounty.net/Sanborn%20Maps%20-%201908/album/index.html#&gid=1&pid=1 1908 Sanborn Insurance Maps, front cover], racinecounty.net.</ref> A narrow subway, dug into the ground at the crossing, allowed one car at a time to pass under the railroad tracks, but by 1929, this subway had become inadequate for the growing city. At this time, the crossing was located on the boundary between the city of Racine and the town of [[Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin|Mount Pleasant]], and both municipalities urged the railroad to widen the subway.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44108044/the_journal_times/ "Subway Widening Is Sought"], [[Racine Journal-News]], August 14, 1929, page four.</ref> The [[West Racine Businessmen's Association]] also pushed for the subway to be widened, as well as for one to be constructed at [[Cleveland Avenue (Racine, Wisconsin)|Cleveland Avenue]].<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44108924/the_journal_times/ "Would Make Two Street Changes: West Racine Businessmen Start Move for Subway in Cleveland Ave."], [[Racine Journal-News]], December 3, 1929, front page.</ref>