By the mid-nineteenth century, Spencer was beginning its 100-year progression in the wire and shoe business. The railroad arrived in 1879, opening new markets. Trolleys arrived in 1891 to aid workers' transportation needs. These improvements in transportation helped to fuel the expansion of both industries, which were so significant in the town's history. Population growth followed this expansion of jobs, rising from 2,777 in 1860 to 7,627 in 1900...