What was the name of the 1877 railroad strike that began in Martinsburg, West Virginia?

The 1877 railroad strike that began in Martinsburg, West Virginia, was the Great Railroad Strike of 1877.

The conflict began on July 16, 1877, when Baltimore and Ohio Railroad workers in Martinsburg stopped trains after the company announced another wage reduction. The reduction came during a severe economic depression that had already caused widespread unemployment and falling pay. Workers blocked locomotives from leaving until the company restored wages.

The strike spread rapidly along major rail routes, reaching cities including Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and St. Louis. Violence and property destruction occurred in several locations, and state militias plus federal troops were deployed to reopen rail lines. In Pittsburgh, a large fire destroyed railroad property during clashes.

The strike ended within weeks but became a landmark in U.S. labor history. It demonstrated how national transportation networks could spread a local dispute and helped encourage the growth of organized labor. It is distinct from the 1894 Pullman Strike and the 1892 Homestead Strike.