B and O Railroad Centennial Celebration Medal

Hans Schuler, B and O Railroad Centennial Celebration Medal, 1927, bronze, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, 1927.5.1
Copied Hans Schuler, B and O Railroad Centennial Celebration Medal, 1927, bronze, 2 12 in. (6.3 cm) diam., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, 1927.5.1

Artwork Details

Title
B and O Railroad Centennial Celebration Medal
Artist
Founder
Medallic Art Company
Date
1927
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
2 12 in. (6.3 cm) diam.
Credit Line
Gift of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Mediums
Mediums Description
bronze
Classifications
Keywords
  • Architecture — vehicle — train
  • Figure male — nude
  • Figure male — full length
  • Allegory — arts and sciences — transportation
  • Allegory — quality — fortitude
Object Number
1927.5.1

Artwork Description

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the first railway designed for commercial transport, was established in 1827 and construction began on the Fourth of July, 1828. Wires along the B & O route eventually carried Samuel F. B. Morse’s first telegraph message, “What Hath God Wrought?” from the Supreme Court room in the U.S. Capitol to the depot in Mt. Clare, Maryland. The reverse of Hans Schuler’s medal shows Peter Cooper’s famous “Tom Thumb” engine used in the B & O’s early years.