Long before highways crisscrossed the flat plains of East Central Illinois, iron rails were the lifeblood of our communities. Join us for an engaging, deeply researched presentation exploring the fascinating history of the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway — universally known as the Big Four Railroad — and its profound footprint right here in Champaign-Urbana.

Whether you are a lifelong local, a railfan, or a local history buff, this session will steam back through time to examine how the Big Four (later the Peoria & Eastern, New York Central, Penn Central, Conrail) connected our twin cities to the broader American industrial landscape, influenced local commerce, and left an indelible mark on our shared geography.

Mike Sypult is a railroad historian from Rogers, Arkansas and currently serves as president of the Arkansas Boston Mountains Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in Springdale. He has family ties to Glenavon, Farmer City, Bellflower and LeRoy.