(Joined Here in 1881)

Great achievement in American history. Victory for statesmen, including Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, who early as 1845 had supported in the United States Congress the idea of a transcontinental railroad. This was effected in 1869, but a need remained—as advocated in the Congress—for a southern route.

In 1869 the Southern Pacific began constructing such a line eastward from the west coast. In 1871 the Texas & Pacific began building a line, under a special Act of Congress, from east Texas to southern California.

They ran a dramatic race which reached its climax as construction crews for the roads neared this site. Southern Pacific reached Sierra Blanca on Nov. 25, 1881—while crews of the Texas & Pacific were 10 miles to the east of here.

On Nov. 26, 1881, an agreement was reached by Jay Gould, for the Texas & Pacific, and Collis P. Huntington, for the Southern Pacific, whereby in Sierra Blanca the roads would "?approach, ?meet,.. and?form one continuous line to the Pacific Ocean..."

The lines were joined here on Dec. 15,1881, and on Dec. 16 transcontinental service was inaugurated.

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Show me all markers in:  Sierra Blanca, TX  |  Hudspeth County  |  79851  |  Texas  |  United States of America

Hudspeth County
The Killing of General J. J. Byrne
Sierra Blanca Methodist Church
Fort Quitman
Hudspeth County Courthouse
August Fransal
Claude Hudspeth
Culberson County
Cpl. Benito Martinez
Camp Rice

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