Researcher seeks railroad photos

by Andy Dygert

News Reporter

Rev. Phil Borleske, pastor of Swedesburg Lutheran Church, is not only prepared to give people the opportunity to have their pictures published in his new book - he's begging them for it.

The research for the new book, "Railroads of Henry County," which will hopefully be published next year sometime, according to Borleske, is almost complete, and Borleske is hoping to start writing as soon as possible.

All he needs beyond that is photographs. Pictures of the railroad and trains from earlier in the century are what Borleske is looking for. He is hoping that the citizens of Henry County will be able to supply them for him.

"People need to shake out their old boxes of photos," Borleske said. "Just see if they have an old train or something on them. That means I want to see them."

Borleske was full of ideas as to what types of pictures from the railroad depot in Mt. Pleasant would be the most enlightening for the book.

"What about pictures of soldiers coming home from World War I or World War II," he said. "How about the Spanish-American War, or what about pictures of the old Burlington zephyr train coming through?"

Borleske presented the progress of his book at Tuesday's Henry County Historical Preservation Commission meeting at the community center in Salem.

The historical commission is providing the backing for the book and will get it published, printed and distributed after it is complete.

"I've got a couple of pages written already," said Borleske, then smiling, he added, "They are under some stack of books or papers on a table somewhere."

You can read the entire story in our Aug. 9 issue.