Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Charter
A commemorative postage stamp on the 125th Anniversary of the granting of a Charter to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company by the Maryland Legislature :
Issued by United States of America
Issued on Feb 28, 1952
The Historic Stamp :
The 3¢ stamp was issued to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the granting of a charter of operation to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The first passenger railway in the United States, the B & O has been in continuous operation since its first trip through Baltimore on January 7, 1830.
The stamp, designed by C. R. Chickering, portrays three stages of development in rail transportation against a background of the 1827 charter. At the far left is the horsedrawn “Pioneer Car” initially used by the railroad. The “Tom Thumb”, America’s first steam locomotive, operated by the B & O, is in the centre. A modern, streamlined Diesel engine is pictured at the far right.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Charter Stamp, printed in bright blue by steel engraving, was first placed on sale in Baltimore, Maryland.
Type : Stamp, Postal Used
Denomination : 3 cents
Colour : Bright Blue
The Subject of the Stamp :
- In 1827, the recently opened Erie Canal was diverting crucial western trade from the South to northern cities. A group of Baltimore businessmen, seeking to regain this trade, agreed that transportation by rail was the only solution. The State of Maryland granted them a charter to establish the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the first common carrier in the United States.
- The railroad was an immediate success. It expanded steadily westward, reaching St. Louis, Missouri, in 1857. Although its growth was interrupted by the Civil War, the line provided a strong link with industrial centers in the North, which helped keep Maryland in the Union. After the war, the B & O resumed its progress, extending service to Chicago in 1874 and Philadelphia in 1886. Under control of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway since 1963, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad is now primarily a freight line.
