Beekley Historical Lecture Series: The One Immediate and Vital Need of the Entire Republic: The Transcontinental Railroad

Hamish Lutris, Associate Professor of History at Capital Community College returns to the Beekley Community Library for another fascinating historical lecture series.

The transcontinental railroad was considered the greatest engineering and financial feat in the world at the time of its construction. Yet thousands of bodies marked its route, hundreds went bankrupt on the railroads, and many decried their power and influence. This talk will discuss the history of the railroad, from its beginnings in the 1820s to its completion on May 10, 1869. The talk will also explore the vast power and influence that railroads exerted over the United States, altering the country’s customs and making us a nation of travelers.