Historical research supports John Henry as a real person. He was one of thousands of African-American railroad workers. John Henry's job as a steel driver was also real. These men helped drill holes for the powder used for blasting tunnels.
People Also Ask
Cornelius VanderbiltFor the rest of his career, he bought and merged companies together, monopolizing ownership of rail lines from the east coast to Chicago. Wanting to expand his empire further, the Commodore set his sights on the Erie, the longest rail line in the world at the time.
The Legend of John Henry is just that, a “legend,” and through the legend, John Henry became a symbol. He symbolized the many African Americans whose sweat and hard work built and maintained the rails across West Virginia. He was a symbol for the black workers who gave their lives in these dangerous occupations.
The first passenger-carrying public railway was opened by the Swansea and Mumbles Railway at Oystermouth in 1807, using horse-drawn carriages on an existing tramline. In 1802, Richard Trevithick designed and built the first (unnamed) steam locomotive to run on smooth rails.
John Stevens is considered to be the father of American railroads. In 1826 Stevens demonstrated the feasibility of steam locomotion on a circular experimental track constructed on his estate in Hoboken, New Jersey, three years before George Stephenson perfected a practical steam locomotive in England.
These men, names like James Hill, Jay and George Gould, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Edward Harriman, and Collis P.Huntington are largely responsible for building much of the country's network.
In the West, the Central Pacific would be dominated by the “Big Four”–Charles Crocker, Leland Stanford, Collis Huntington and Mark Hopkins. All were ambitious businessmen with no prior experience with railroads, engineering or construction.
James Jerome Hill (1838-1916) is best known as the “Empire Builder” who masterminded construction of the Great Northern Railroad and created a corporation controlling major lines in the northern tier of the United States.
Shipping and railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877) was a self-made multi-millionaire who became one of the wealthiest Americans of the 19th century.