Category Archives: Transcontinental Railroad
On the Railroad 150 Years Ago
During October 1868, the Union Pacific contract workers, under the direction of General Jack Casement, increased the pace at which they laid track. The typical rate averaged two to three miles per day, occasionally five. On October 26, however, they … Continue reading
Utah Life Article on Golden Spike
To my surprise and grateful appreciation, Michael Zimmer wrote a wonderful article about my book Golden Spike, The Iron Horse Chronicles, Book Three, in the September/October 2018 issue of Utah Life. Michael’s contribution is more than just a book review, it is … Continue reading
On the Railroad 150 Years Ago
In September 1868 both the Union Pacific and Central Pacific had departed the high mountains and were building across relatively level but difficult terrain. In Wyoming, the UP worked to cross the Red Desert between the two continental divides—one west … Continue reading
Golden Spike Available in Large Print
Golden Spike, The Iron Horse Chronicles, Book Three, has been released by Wheeler Publishing in a Large Print edition. Now all three books in the trilogy are available in Hardcover edition, Kindle version, and Paperback Large Print. Please click on … Continue reading
On the Railroad 150 Years Ago
One hundred fifty years ago, in August 1868, the Union Pacific Railroad’s tracks in Wyoming extended almost seven hundred miles west from Omaha, Nebraska. End of track was now thirty miles beyond the new bridge over the North Platte River … Continue reading
On the Railroad 150 Years Ago
One hundred fifty years ago, one of the most significant events in the construction of the first transcontinental railroad took place. The incident did not involve the physical laying of any track, but it influenced the final work on the … Continue reading
Western Writers Hall of Fame
I attended the 2018 Western Writers of America Convention in Billings, Montana, from June 20 through June 23. On the final day of the convention, I joined two bus-loads of fellow WWA members for a trip to Cody, Wyoming, to … Continue reading
MG Books About Native Americans
On Sunday, May 20, 2018, I posted a new article on the website Mad About MG History, entitled “MG Books About Native Americans.” Since the one hundred forty-ninth anniversary of the driving of the Golden Spike occurred a few days … Continue reading
Writing a Historical Trilogy
“Writing a Historical Trilogy” is the title of an article I wrote for the Spring 2018 issue of WriteRiders, the quarterly newsletter of the Nevada chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. Link to the article (it’s on … Continue reading
History of the Horse in Western America
Readers of this blog know I periodically contribute to the blog, Mad About MG History. MG stands for Middle Grade, and the purpose of the blog is to provide information for teachers and librarians engaged in encouraging middle grade students … Continue reading
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