Bradley, Osgood
From Salem Links and Lore
- Osgood Bradley was one of the men who built stagecoaches in the Salem area. As late as 1836, Salem maintained speedy stagecoach connections
to Gloucester, Haverhill, Lowell, Ipswich, Lynn, Marblehead and Boston. Born in Andover, Bradley was drawn to Salem to apprentice to a coachbuilder.
- In 1836, some of the carriage manufacturers in Salem included Benjamin Bray, Stephen Daniels and Henry McIntyre.
- During the 1830's Salem and other cities began developing steam railroads. Demand was high for quality new cars that could be evolved from wooden stagecoaches.
- Between 1833 and 1835, Bradley started construction railroad cars. By 1845, he had a railroad car manufacturing business called Bradley & Rice.
Bradley's company crafted railroad and trolley cars for more than a century.
- Today, various beautiful Bradley cars, some with mahogany interiors are preserved by museums like the Sea-shore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine and the Connecticut Trolley Museum in East Windsor.
See Also
"Rolling Thunder: Salem's old stagecoaches" Salem Gazette Jan. 3, 2014, p. 1
Rolling Thunder: Looking back at Salem's old stagecoaches John Goff for the Salem Gazette, Jan. 3, 114, p. 1
