Louisville has always been an important trade hub. It's close proximity to the Falls of the Ohio made it an important stop for river pilots heading down the Ohio River towards New Orleans. With the development of the railroad, Louisville also became an important rail depot. Several rail lines sprang up in and near Louisville during the mid-1800s.
One such railroad was the Louisville and Frankfort Railroad. The railway was chartered in 1847 and was operational in 1850. The new railway took over part of the defunct Lexington and Ohio Railroad, which was the first in the state of Kentucky. The line connected Louisville with the state capital of Frankfort.
The Louisville and Frankfort Railroad was short lived. In 1869 the railway was merged with the Louisville, Cincinnati, and Lexington Railroad, which was acquired by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad in 1881. The railway would change hands several more times of next century before finally becoming part of CSX Transportation in 1980.
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