Seymour, Indiana is a small city of approximately 21,569 residents (2020 census) situated about 62 miles south of Indianapolis and 55 miles north of Louisville, Kentucky. Known officially as the "Crossroads of Southern Indiana," the city sits at the historic intersection of two major railroad lines — a north-south route connecting Indianapolis to the Ohio River and an east-west route linking Cincinnati with St. Louis — that still operate through downtown today. Those same tracks made Seymour a bustling economic hub in the mid-19th century, and, as Gates notes in the episode, put the town squarely "in the crosshairs" of the Reno gang, whose 1866 train robbery is widely considered the first of its kind in American history. Gates visits Seymour while investigating the Reno gang's criminal legacy and the gold they allegedly accumulated — meeting local historian Lance Geiger at Rails, Seymour's train-themed brewery, to piece together the story. The city is also famous as the hometown of rock musician John Mellencamp, whose songs have cemented its small-town identity in popular culture.
The north-south Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis Railroad is built, connecting Indianapolis to the Ohio River at Jeffersonville.
The east-west Ohio and Mississippi Railroad is constructed, connecting Cincinnati with St. Louis and creating a major rail intersection.
First settlers arrive at the railroad intersection that becomes Seymour, Indiana, in the spring.
The Reno gang boards an Ohio and Mississippi Railroad train near Seymour in what is considered the first peacetime train robbery in American history.
Josh Gates investigates the Reno gang's origins and criminal legacy in Seymour for Expedition Unknown S14E04, "America's First Train Robbers."
Historian Lance Geiger, who built a following as "The History Guy" for his accessible storytelling on American history, served as Gates' primary guide through the Reno gang's legacy in Seymour. According to Geiger, the Renos' relative obscurity compared to later outlaw gangs stems partly from timing and partly from the absence of the sensational press coverage that would later rocket Jesse James to folk-hero status. As Geiger puts it, the Renos were simply "overshadowed by people like Jesse James, the Daltons, and Butch and Sundance" who came after them and benefited from a more mature celebrity-hungry media landscape.
Mainstream historians broadly agree that the Reno gang's 1866 robbery of an Ohio and Mississippi Railroad train near Seymour represents a watershed moment in American crime history — the first organized robbery of a moving train during peacetime. The gang exploited Seymour's geography almost by design: the town's position at the intersection of two major rail lines meant heavy freight traffic and, crucially, multiple escape routes. The railroads that made Seymour prosperous also made it vulnerable.
Seymour's railroad heritage is well-documented and still physically present — both rail lines that the Reno gang once targeted continue to operate through downtown. The city's self-description as the "Crossroads of Southern Indiana" is not just marketing; it reflects a genuine 19th-century economic identity built almost entirely around rail commerce. Freeman Army Airfield, now a civilian airport, adds another layer of historical significance to a town that punches above its weight in American history.
Gates' episode does not appear to resolve the broader question of what ultimately became of any gold or loot the Reno gang accumulated — the investigation frames that as an open question worth pursuing. What the Seymour segment contributes is useful historical grounding: placing the gang's origins in a specific, visitable geography and giving viewers a sense of why a small Indiana railroad town became the unlikely birthplace of American train robbery.
Seymour sits at the intersection of two railroad lines — one built in the 1840s, one in the 1850s — that are both still actively operating through downtown today.
The city's official nickname, the "Crossroads of Southern Indiana," reflects the historic convergence of a north-south and east-west rail line that put it on the map in the 1850s.
Rock musician John Mellencamp, who recorded under the name Johnny Cougar early in his career, was born and raised in Seymour — and his songs about small-town life drew directly on his hometown experience.
Seymour is also home to Freeman Army Airfield, a historically significant World War II military airbase that has since been converted into a civilian airport.
Seymour is a working city with a walkable downtown area, and the railroad tracks at the historic crossroads are still active and visible. Rails brewery, where Gates filmed his meeting with Lance Geiger, has operated as a local gathering spot with a train theme that reflects the city's heritage. Visitors should check current business hours for any specific venues before visiting.
Indianapolis, Indiana, approximately 62 miles (100 km) to the north.
Seymour's Indiana climate makes late spring through early fall the most comfortable time to visit, with mild temperatures suited to exploring the downtown and rail corridor. Summer festivals and local events occasionally draw larger crowds to the area.
Coffeyville, Kansas
Coffeyville, Kansas was the site of the Dalton gang's infamous 1892 bank robbery attempt — the Daltons are among the outlaw figures that historian Lance Geiger identifies as having overshadowed the Reno gang in popular memory.
Bannack State Park
Bannack State Park in Montana was a 19th-century outlaw haven investigated by Gates, making it thematically connected to Seymour's exploration of American frontier-era criminal gangs and the lawlessness of the railroad age.
Historical data sourced from Wikipedia