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The Transcontinental Railroad in All its Glory.
This very rare map (we have found no other examples) showcases the Union and Central Pacific Railroad’s transcontinental route, focusing on connections with one of its feeder lines, the Eastern and Maine Central Railroads. Covering the entire United States, the map highlights key rail corridors that facilitated travel from the East Coast to San Francisco, underscoring the growth and reach of American railroads during the late 19th century.
The map’s margins contain 21 vignette illustrations depicting notable landmarks along the route. Among these are the Summit of the Sierras, Devil’s Slide and Devil’s Gate in Weber Cañon, Bloomer Cut, and the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. These scenic illustrations would have appealed to prospective travelers, emphasizing the rugged beauty encountered on a cross-country journey by rail.
In the lower right corner, a pastedown advertises the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (CB&Q), known as a “Favorite Route” to destinations like Omaha, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco. This advertisement highlights the railroad’s acquisition of the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad in 1880 and its completed line to Denver by 1882, a key milestone that made direct routes to the West even more accessible. The pastedown also mentions the dining car service offered between Chicago and Omaha, with meals available at 75 cents, promoting a new level of comfort for travelers at the time.
The main map traces the Union and Central Pacific routes in bold lines, alongside the newly acquired and completed CB&Q connections, including the Eastern and Maine Central Railroads. These feeder lines illustrate the expanding network that enabled the Union and Central Pacific to connect with more eastern cities, forming a cohesive transcontinental system.
This map reflects a period when railroads were transforming American society, linking remote regions, encouraging westward migration, and making coast-to-coast travel possible. The Union and Central Pacific routes and their connections through lines like the CB&Q opened the American West to tourism, settlement, and commerce. Maps like this, with visual appeals through scenic vignettes, served both as navigational tools and promotional material for the railroad industry.
Rarity
The map is derived from a Rand McNally map of the Union Pacific from the 1870s, an example of which can be seen here.
We are unable to find any other examples with the same overprinting and the excellent block-letter title at the top.
Rand McNally & Co. is a large American map and navigation company best known for its annual atlases. The company got its start in 1856, when William Rand opened a print shop in Chicago. He was joined in 1858 by a new employee, Andrew McNally. Together, the men established their namesake company in 1868. Originally, the company was intended to print the tickets and timetables for the trains running to and through Chicago; their first railway guide was published in 1869.
By 1870, they had shifted from just printing to publishing directories, travel guides, and newspapers. Their first map appeared in 1872 in a railway guide. The map was produced using a new wax engraving method, a cheaper process that gave the company an edge.
By 1880 Rand McNally had entered the education market with globes, wall maps, and geography texts for students. In 1923, Rand McNally published the first Goode’s World Atlas, named after its editor, Dr. J. Paul Goode. For generations afterward, this would be the standard classroom atlas.
In 1899, William Rand left the company, but McNally and his family remained, controlling the company for over a century. In 1904, they published their first road map intended for automobiles and by 1907 were publishing Photo-Auto Guides, which combined photography and mapping to help drivers. In 1924, they produced the Auto Chum, a precursor to their famous road atlases. Rand McNally would remain the leader in road maps and atlases throughout the twentieth century.
In 1937, Rand McNally opened its first store in New York City. Ever on the frontier of technology, Rand McNally pioneered the scribing process for printing tickets in 1958 and printed their first full-color road atlas in 1960. Arthur Robinson developed his now-famous projection of Rand McNally in 1969. By the 1980s, the company was exploring digital reproduction and digital databases of maps for truckers. In the 1990s, they lead the charge to develop trip-planning software and websites. Today, most of its products are available online or in a digital format, including maps for tablets and phones.
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