Railway passenger lists of overland trains to San Francisco and the West

When the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869, there was great celebration of being "connected to the rest of the world." The West was no longer separated by the snowy reaches of the Sierras, and the railroad brought to the Pacific States and Territories a mighty flood of prosperity, as well as new immigrants. This work provides a reconstruction of passenger arrivals between 1870 and 1873 using contemporary sources, such as journals, diaries, letters, magazines and newspaper lists. This effort addresses Overland Trains, bound west, with passengers tabulated at the time of passing Ogden, Utah; Carlin, Nevada; Battle Mountain, Nevada; and Mojave, California. This two-volume work covers the period of 1870 to 1873, and contains approximately 32,000 names. The passenger lists are arranged chronologically, and, generally, contain departure date, arrival date, or "passed through" date; passenger names; and place of residence. When families were traveling together, an indication of "spouse", or "child", with no name given, will often follow the passenger entry.

Mark Your Calendar:

June 9th at 7:00 pm: North Collin County Genealogical Society will have as their guest speaker Guy Giersch, the City's Historic Preservation Officer. Everyone invited.