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Historic Florissant, Inc. has announced that a new book on the narrow gauge railroad that connected Florissant to St. Louis will be available by mid-January. The long awaited book by Rosemary Davison tells the story of Erastus Wells and others whose vision became a reality in 1878 when the West End Narrow Gauge Railroad Company opened the line to Florissant.

Although the railroad only operated a few years, the line was electrified and trolleys ran from Florissant to St. Louis until the 1930s. In the early 1890s, the first true Rail Post Office came into being along this electric line. Mail was sorted and canceled while on its route and a letter written in Florissant in the morning could be delivered in St. Louis in the afternoon.

Advance gift certificates can be purchased at Historic Florissant’s office in the Gittemeier House, 1067 Dunn Road, Florissant. The book will sell for $15.

A book signing reception will be held at the Gittemeier House on Sunday, Jan. 31, at 2 p.m.  Mrs. Davison will sign her book and talk to visitors about her role in saving a piece of railroad history – the rescue of the narrow gauge depot that was nearly lost with the widening of St. Ferdinand Street in 1967.

For more information on the reception or on obtaining a gift certificate, call Historic Florissant, Inc. at 921-7055.

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