Tag Archives: Westward Expansion (1866-1869)
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
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
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
The First Intercontinental Railroad 150 Years Ago
The first Union Pacific Railroad train rolled into Cheyenne, Dakota Territory, on November 13, 1867. (Wyoming would not be designated a separate territory until July 25, 1868.) General Grenville M. Dodge, Chief Engineer of the Union Pacific, had selected the … Continue reading
Lifelong Learning Presentation
On Tuesday, October 17, 2017, I made a presentation to the Sun City Anthem Lifelong Learning Club in Henderson, Nevada. The subject was “Why and How I Wrote the Iron Horse Chronicles.” Following the one-hour talk, I autographed copies of … Continue reading
The Iron Horse Chronicles Trilogy Complete
The Iron Horse Chronicles trilogy is complete. I have received finished, hard-bound copies of the third book, Golden Spike. Five Star Publishing will release the book officially on July 19, 2017. As usual, they have produced a first-class product. I … Continue reading
Union Pacific’s “Great Race to Promontory” Website
The Union Pacific Railroad has produced a website entitled “Great Race to Promontory” as part of their extensive celebration of the completion of the first transcontinental railroad nearly one hundred fifty years ago. Here is a link to the site: … Continue reading
Trilogy Approaching Completion
With the Iron Horse Chronicles trilogy approaching completion, I have changed the header on this website. For the past couple of years, Union Pacific’s Engine 119 has been approaching Promontory Summit in Utah from a distance. On July 19, 2017, Golden … Continue reading
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