The AHC houses several collections related to the construction of the transcontinental railroad, westward migration, and even “hell on wheels,” which is the term used to describe the transient collection of unsavory businesses (gambling houses, saloons, brothels) and people that followed the construction of the railroad west.
The John and Frances Casement Papers represent one of the AHC’s more notable collections on the topic. Jack Casement was a Civil War soldier who went to work on the Union Pacific’s transcontinental line from 1866-1869, which took him from Omaha to Promontory Point in Utah. The collection is composed mostly of correspondence between Casement and his wife during these years. Casement writes frankly of his difficulties in obtaining supplies and gives his opinion of business associates. Most of the collection, including all of the correspondence, has been digitized and made available online.
Other AHC collections that feature material related to “hell on wheels” and/or the contstruction of the UPR include: the T. A. Larson Papers, the Samuel Chittenden Papers, the W. O. Owen Papers, and the Morton E. Post Family Papers.
To learn more, please visit some of our online resources about the transcontinental railroad and westward migration, including:
- An AHC virtual exhibit: Hell on Wheels: Union Pacific Towns in Wyoming
- The AHC’s Guide to Transportation Collections
- Digitized Photographs related to the Union Pacific Railroad
