Railroad Street, throughout its history, has been Willimantic’s shortest street and, for almost 100 years, was arguably its second busiest street. Prior to the coming of the railroad in 1849, the area from Main Street to the river and from approximately Bank Street to today’s Railroad Street was,” a rough rocky tract of land comprising several acres. Portions of the tract were sold from time to time as business demanded”. Eight acres of this land was owned by Col. Jesse Spafford. Spafford had the land appraised and it was said to be worth $12 an acre. Spafford then sold a large part of this tract to the New London, Palmer and Willimantic Railway(NLP&W)  . Later, the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railway purchased more of it. That rocky area became one of New England’s most important railway centers. The NLP&W built the first Willimantic station in 1850. Three passenger/freight and one freight train ran through Willimantic. Soon after, the Air Line from New York to Boston joined the NLP&W in laying track through Willimantic and the station ended up between the tracks of several of the train lines that went through the city. With the coming of the railroad and the station, according to Allen B. Lincoln, “a lane to the depot in the swamp!” was laid out. Originally it was called Depot Street and remained that until about 1881 when the new station was being built and then was renamed Railroad Street. Getting to the old station was very unsafe both because of the condition of the roadway and especially because the station was between several sets of tracks. There were many serious accidents including a highly publicized one that resulted in the death of Mr. Stutely Sweet, father of a Coventry state assemblyman. One “Chronicle” article said, “That abominable crossing from Railroad Street to the depot was heard from on Monday. Ephraim Herrick, while driving over the tracks came in collision with a switching train, which, as a matter of course was much to the detriment of his wagon, and also the load of flour which it contained. Even the wary expressmen get caught at that dangerous place. But all this will be changed when we get that new depot.” By 1882, with the opening of the new station and with several railroad lines going through Willimantic, Railroad Street was humming. All freight coming into Willimantic was transported by wagon up Railroad Street to Main Street and points beyond. Three of Willimantic’s large lumber and coal companies had storage sheds along the tracks. Shops catering to the hundreds of daily passengers lined both sides of Railroad Street, especially the west side which had at least 7 different shops. Restaurants and saloons competed with each other for business and advertised frequently in the “Chronicle”. There were news dealers, barbers, fruit stores, tobacconists and more. There was plenty of “on the street” activity as well as these bits of news articles show. “Joel Fox held a cart-load of household furniture under the auctioneer's hammer on Railroad street yesterday.” “The street fakir orators have made Railroad street sonorous day and night for this week.”  “A stranger on Railroad street has been showing the moon through a telescope for ten cents a peep during the late pleasant evenings”. One of the local favorites that evidently was common on Railroad Street would certainly be controversial today. The 1879 news report said. “Mr. George W. Burnham caught about a peck of rats last night, and had a grand match on Railroad Street this morning between them and some dogs. Some of the rats were about a match for the dogs.” Railroad Street was a difficult one for horses and carriages as evidenced by many stories such as these. “Henry F. Parker, of South Coventry, was driving up Railroad street on Monday, when his horse suddenly started detaching the seat from its fastenings, and throwing Mr. Parker out”. “A horse owned by Edward Carey fell on Railroad Street yesterday and broke a shaft; otherwise no damage was done”. And so, in April 1882, the Chronicle editorialized,” Would it not in the end be good economy to pave Main and Railroad streets? We give this suggestion for what it is worth—and perhaps it is worth considering.” Railroad Street was finally paved in 1897