Think getting around College Station is tough now?

College Station residents are highly familiar with seasonal changes to commuter traffic, especially when the students return after the holidays. In the 141 years since Texas A&M was founded as a isolated outpost south of Bryan, the challenges of getting from place to place have shaped the area’s distinctive character.

Most people use motor vehicles these days, but that wasn’t always the case. College Station’s Project HOLD (online library database) chronicles the history of the city’s various means of transportation through its collection of historic images. Here’s a look at four ways our students -- and residents -- used to get around:

• In the early days, many students arrived and departed from the railroad depot.
• Other prospective travelers were more original. In 1897, some intrepid students formed a bicycle club.
• For those with a dime to spare, the interurban trolley was a popular mode of transport in the early part of the 20th century.
• Finally, it was common for many years to see cadets armed only with an outstretched thumb and a hopeful face, hoping to hitch a ride home between semesters.

As the city approaches the 75^th anniversary of its incorporation in October, we invite you to take a closer look at the historic images, documents and memorabilia available in Project HOLD.  If you’d like to share your old pictures of College Station’s people and places, contact me at heritageprogram@cstx.gov. We’d love to see them!