Ario Pardee
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Page Contents
Ario Pardee, Key ET&WNC Investor
Ario Pardee was already successful with mining and railroads when he decided to invest in the ET&WNC in the late 1870s.
Pardee had founded, and then lived in Hazleton PA where he purchased tracts of land that were rich with anthracite coal. In order to transport the coal, he built a gravity railroad that connected with the Lehigh Valley Railroad, for whom he was also a Director.
By the 1870s, he began to invest in other ventures, which brought him to East Tennessee and Western North Carolina to mine iron and operate blast furnaces. In 1882, the first segment of the ET&WNC Railroad was completed to Cranberry NC where the iron was mined.
At the time of his death in 1892, Pardee was one of the richest men in America, but also a great philanthropist.
More information will be added about the ET&WNC Railroad in the days ahead. Please let me know if you have any edits that should be made or any content you are willing to share by utilizing the comment form below. Would enjoy hearing from you if you have similar interests in the ET&WNC, the region, or model railroading.
ET&WNC Sources & Resources
The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the ET&WNC Railroad. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Appalachian-Railroads.org. Much of the content on the website is verified across multiple sources.
- Association: ET&WNC Railroad Historical Society and their Facebook Page
- Personal Maps & Memorabilia: Documents, maps, timetables, and track charts
- Book: Ferrell: ‘Tweetsie Country’
- Book: Graybeal: ‘The Railroads of Johnson City’
- Book: Graybeal: ‘Along the ET&WNC’ Volumes 1-6
- Book: Poole: ‘History of Railroading in Western North Carolina’
- Book: Scheer & Black: ‘Tweetsie: The Blue Ridge Steamwinder’
- Book: Sulzer: ‘Ghost Railroads of Tennessee’
- Website: Carolana.com
- Website: CarterCountyHistory.com
- Website: StateOfFranklin.net which hosts Johnson’s Depot
- Website: SteamLocomotive.com
Contact Us
Would enjoy hearing from you if you have questions, suggestions, edits, or content that you are willing to share. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have similar interests in the railroads or model railroading.
