Handout
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Cprr Photographic History Museum: Builders of the Central Pacific Railroad

For Students 9th - 10th
This chapter from "The First Transcontinental Railroad" by John Debo Galloway contains biographies of the important men who conceived of the railroad, found funds for the line, and engineered the construction.
Handout
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum: Building of the Iron Road

For Students 9th - 10th
From an article by B.P. Avery printed in the May, 1869, issue of "Overland Monthly" is this description of the building of the transcontinental railroad including information about the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific...
Handout
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Cprr Photographic History Museum: Tunnels of the Pacific Railroad

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Handout
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Cprr Photographic History Museum: Locating the Central Pacific Railroad

For Students 9th - 10th
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.
Website
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Cprr: Lewis Metzler Clement: A Pioneer of the Central Pacific Railroad

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides biographical information on Lewis Metzler Clement, the chief engineer for the Central Pacific Railroad, who both designed much of the route and supervised construction of the railroad. Includes several primary sources ranging...
Article
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Cprr History Museum: The Pacific Railroad Open: How to Go: What to See

For Students 9th - 10th
Contains a guide for travel to and through Western America on the Central Pacific Railroad written by Samuel Bowles in 1869.
Website
PBS

Wnet: Thirteen: Frontier House: The Northern Pacific Railroad and Those Who Built It

For Students 9th - 10th
The goods and services brought to the frontier by the railroad improved the quality of life. Read about the construction and route of the Northern Pacific Railroad in this companion essay to the PBS series, Frontier House.
Website
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

The Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

For Students 9th - 10th
If you are researching the Central Pacific Railroad or the importance of photography in the recording of our social and technological history, this site is for you. You will find plenty of topic photos and good information about the...
Graphic
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Carbutt and the Union Pacific's Grand Excursion

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides information on the Union Pacific Railroad's grand excursion to the 100th Meridian.
Primary
Ibis Communications

Eye Witness to History: Completing the Transcontinental Railroad, 1869

For Students 9th - 10th
An overview of the construction of America's Transcontinental Railway, and its completion when the last spike was driven (after several misses) in Utah to connect the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific railways. Travel across the...
Handout
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Cprr Photographic History Museum: Utah's Role in the Pacific Railroad

For Students 9th - 10th
A chapter from John J. Stewart's "The Iron Trail to the Golden Spike" about Utah and the transcontinental railroad.
Article
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Cprr: Completion of the Pacific Railroad

For Students 9th - 10th
From Chapter 105 of R. M. Devens' 1878 book, "Our First Century" is this description of the building of the transcontinental railroad and the ceremony of driving the final spike.
Primary
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Cprr History Museum: Railway & Travel Guides and the Pacific Railroad

For Students 9th - 10th
Ride the rails in the late 19th century by following these travel guides for railroads across the country. Find copies of the guides showing time tables, maps, and descriptions of the trips.
Primary
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Cprr History Museum: Pacific Railroad Acts

For Students 9th - 10th
See a copy of the document that enacted legislation for the development of a transcontinental railroad. Included is the text of the document also.
Website
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

For Students 9th - 10th
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.
Primary
Other

Union Pacific Railroad: Railroad Construction

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource offers pictures of the following: documents, structures, yards, scenic locations, and more.
Primary
PBS

Pbs the West: The Pacific Railway Act: July 1, 1862

For Students 9th - 10th
The critically acclaimed PBS series, "The West," provides the text of the actual Pacific Railway Act, designed to aid in the construction of a Railroad and Telegraph Line from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean.
Primary
US National Archives

Our Documents: Pacific Railway Act (1862)

For Students 9th - 10th
Contains images of the original document and a transcript of the complete text of the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 in an easy to read format. Also contains a brief overview on the background behind this act.
Handout
Other

Psmre: History of the Union Pacific Railroad

For Students 9th - 10th
This page from the Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers is part of a larger railroad history site. Includes brief information about the history of the Union Pacific Railroad and other railroads, including a mention of the Pacific...
eBook
Curated OER

National Park Service: Golden Spike National Park: The Pacific Railroad Act of 1862

For Students 6th - 8th
Short description of the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 from the National Park Service.
eBook
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum: Linking the Oceans

For Students 9th - 10th
A chapter, "Linking the Oceans" from "The Railroad Builders" by John Moody, published in 1919. Included is information about the building of the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad as well as other transcontinental...
Primary
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum: Beyond the Mississippi

For Students 9th - 10th
Contains excerpts from Albert D. Richarson's "Beyond the Mississippi" about the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad and his trip on the train.
Handout
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Cprr History Museum: Chinese Laborers and Construction of the Central Pacific

For Students 9th - 10th
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 primary source documents included as well as supplemental direct quotes in...
Website
Other

Union Pacific: Historical Overview

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides a historical overview of the Union Pacific Railroad under the following sections: building a road, financing, construction, and post-construction.

Other popular searches