Pittsburgh Oddcast: 'There Will Be Blood', The 1877 Railroad Strike
“There Will Be Blood” - the Great Railroad Strike of 1877
On July 21 1877, the height of the Railroad Riots reached its peak in Pittsburgh.
As a crowd of rioting railroad workers and their families gathered downtown, the PA National Guard was called in to help disperse the crowd.
The accompanying photos show only a small portion of the destruction but give you a good idea on how large the scale of ruin was. These are also some of the earliest known photos taken in Pittsburgh
Over 50 rioters were killed (including three children) and hundreds of others were injured.
It was one of the Nation’s first uprising since the Civil War and some feared it would trigger another!
Listen as we try to learn about what not to do so we hopefully never make these tragic mistakes ever again.
Read even more about the strike from the Heinz History Center.
We also invite all of you to join our new segment of LISTENER MAIL. Do you have a question for the Oddcast?
What event were you always curious about? Contact us and your questions will be answered each week.
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