PBS
Pbs: Leland Stanford (1824 1893)
Read a brief biography of the native of New York, Leland Stanford (1824-1893 CE), who helped to buid California's Central Pacific railroad.
Curated OER
Pacific Railroad Surveys, C. 1853
An extraordinarily rich collection of photos, stereographs, engravings, maps, and documents. Many 19th century accounts of building and traveling on the railroad, plus travel guides and government documents.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Harcourt: Biographies: James Gadsden, 1788 1858
Explore this short profile on the life of James Gadsden, who was instrumental in the purchasing of land from Mexico to build a southern railroad route to the Pacific.
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum
Cprr Photographic History Museum: Driving the Last Spike at Promontory, 1869
In-depth look at the ceremony at Promontory Point upon the completion of the transcontinental railroad. The author discusses the preparation for the ceremony, the use of four ceremonial spikes, and what became of them. From an article in...
University of Alberta
University of Alberta: The Canadian National Railways
This history of the Canadian National Railways (CNR) describes its formation in 1918 as the Government of Canada merged the assets of the Canadian Northern Railway with those of the Canadian Government Railway and later the Grand Trunk...
Curated OER
Etc: Maps Etc: United States Expansion and the Railroads, 1880
A map of the United States and territories showing the expansion from the formation of the original states to 1880, and the railroad network in 1880. The map is color-coded to show the original states, the states admitted between 1791...
Curated OER
Chinese Railroad Worker at Tunnel No. 8
Quotations from contemporary figures and recent politicians depicting the value of the Chinese workers in building the Central Pacific Railroad. Included are many pictures and graphs as well as links to additional information.
Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company: Donald A. Smith
Donald Smith is best known as the white-haired man, in the tall hat, driving "The Last Spike" in the 1885 Canadian Pacific Railway photograph. His other accomplishments include being the only person, rising through the ranks of the Hbc,...
Curated OER
Summit Tunnel Map
This site offers an abstract from Van Nostrand's Eclectic Engineering Magazine from 1870 from a paper by John R. Gilliss. A comprehensive look at the tunnels built along the route of the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific...
Curated OER
Tunnel No. 4 (#38 Visible)
This site offers an abstract from Van Nostrand's Eclectic Engineering Magazine from 1870 from a paper by John R. Gilliss. A comprehensive look at the tunnels built along the route of the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific...
Curated OER
China Labour, Cprr Payroll, March, 1865
An article from the Utah Quarterly, Vol. 37, No. 1, by George Kraus, recounts the decision to use Chinese laborers in building the Central Pacific Railroad. Many original documents.
Curated OER
1852 California Census, Page 194
An article from the Utah Quarterly, Vol. 37, No. 1, by George Kraus, recounts the decision to use Chinese laborers in building the Central Pacific Railroad. Many original documents.
Curated OER
Centennial Chinese Rr Worker Commemorative Plaque
An article from the Utah Quarterly, Vol. 37, No. 1, by George Kraus, recounts the decision to use Chinese laborers in building the Central Pacific Railroad. Many original documents.
Curated OER
Ogden May 10th, 1919. Courtesy National Park Service.
An article from the Utah Quarterly, Vol. 37, No. 1, by George Kraus, recounts the decision to use Chinese laborers in building the Central Pacific Railroad. Many original documents.
Curated OER
Hart 349a
From a book "The First Transcontinental Railroad" by John Debo Galloway, a civil engineer, comes this comprehensive description of the topography of the route of the Central Pacific Railroad.
PBS
Pbs: American Experience: The Iron Road
A good summary of the history of the building of first transcontinental railroad and images of the transcontinental railroad. From the introduction to the PBS video, The Iron Road.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Golden Spike National Historic Site
Homepage of the Golden Spike National Historic Site. Provides general information about the completion of the transcontinental railroad and contains links to other information.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: The Iron Horse: Other Transcontinentals
From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes the other railroad companies that were competing to build a transcontinental line.
Country Studies US
Countyr Studies: United States History: The Last Frontier
This site describes the settlement of the West happened quickly with the passage of the Homestead Act of 1862 and the push for the Transcontinental Railroad. With the explosion of the mining and ranching industries, the West was all but...
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum
Magnificent Celebrations in Calfornia
Describes the completion of the transcontinental railroad and the subsequent celebrations.
Museum of the City of San Francisco
Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco: Driving the Last Spike
Provides a short description of the development of the transcontinental railroad and the "Big Four" behind the construction. From the San Francisco News Letter of September 1925.
New York Times
New York Times: On This Day: Credit Moibiler Scandal
See a political cartoon of Thomas Nast decrying the Credit Mobilier scandal, and read a concise account of what it was, who was involved, and why it was such a scandal.
Other
Wyo History: The Rock Springs Massacre
Read this very detailed description of the Rock Springs Massacre and the circumstances that led up to it. Find out why Chinese immigrants became the focus of hatred and discrimination.
California Digital Library
Loc: The Chinese in California 1850 1925
Excellent overview of the Chinese experience in California complete with historical photos and primary documents. Site provides information on San Francisco's Chinatown, the anti-Chinese Movement, and Chinese laborers.