In 1832, the American Fur Company struck a number of medals bearing the image of John Jacob Astor, the company founder, to give to friendly Native Americans at Fort Union. Today, only seven silver and five copper medals are still … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Miscellany
In 1743, the Verendrye Expedition reached a point in what is now South Dakota and buried a lead plate marking their visit in the name of the king of France. In 1908, some children playing in a field near Pierre … Continue reading
Someone worked hard to compile this list of more than 150 named Santa Fe passenger trains, the numbers they used, the years they operated, and their terminal cities. The brief intro says it is based on timetables from 1876, 1886 … Continue reading
In the late 1960s, the California Zephyr was one of the best-patronized long-distance trains in America. But it still lost money for the Western Pacific, which was a marginal railroad to begin with. So WP petitioned to discontinue the train … Continue reading
I acquired these decals ages ago from one of the most reputable rail memorabilia dealers in the country, so I know they are authentic. But what were they used for? At three inches in diameter each, they are about the … Continue reading
Union Pacific handed out this eight-page “souvenir album” to passengers on the last runs of its daily trains before Amtrak took over, April 30, 1971. A letter from UP CEO J.C. Kenefick offers a “reluctant goodbye to that small but … Continue reading
This handy checklist of things a traveler might want to bring on an overnight train trip seems to be aimed at women, as it includes blouses, lingerie, and manicure needs, but not shirts or a shaving kit. Regardless of gender, … Continue reading
This is the General Motors builder’s card for the Great Northern E-7s built to haul the 1947 streamlined Empire Builder. GM delivered 13 of these locomotives to the GN starting in 1945. The painting on the card is by GM … Continue reading
In 1925 and 1926, the Great Northern Railway offered two “historical expeditions” of the Northwest that featured colorful Indian ceremonies, lectures by a variety of historians and other experts, and the dedication of at least six impressive monuments to early … Continue reading
This bookmark is undated, but the blue-and-red color scheme looks contemporaneous with the 1940 Glacier Park brochure I posted a few days ago. The back of the bookmark lists several “splendid books on the historic Northwest,” and the newest was … Continue reading