USGS Photos - Jackson at Promontory
The US Geological Survey has posted a number of their photos on a web site.
Included are William Henry Jackson's 1869 photos along the Union Pacific, including a view at Promontory I had not seen before.
Kyle K. Wyatt
Curator of History & Technology
California State Railroad Museum
111 "I" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
My work address is: kwyatt@parks.ca.gov
My personal address is: kylewyatt@aol.com
posted from CPRR Discussion Group at 2:37 PM
5 Comments:
According to Jackson's diary, he arrived June 30. Made three negatives before evening. Next morning made more negatives, and left on the 1:00 train.
New York Public Library Digital Library
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Jackson, William Henry, Diary June 22 - September 27, 1869
Kyle K. Wyatt
Curator of History & Technology
California State Railroad Museum
111 "I" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
My work address is: kwyatt@parks.ca.gov
My personal address is: kylewyatt@aol.com
DIARY of W.H. JACKSON
While Photographing Along the Line of the
UNION PACIFIC RY
[Promontory Summit, Utah, June 30-July 1, 1869:]
" ... Corrinne is larger and more substantial, both towns being composed almost entirely of tents. Continuing along the low salt flats bordering the lake we came to Blue Creek, a settlement of half a dozen tents & then began to rise abrubtly towards Promontory. The grade was very steep & in one place a very high trestle spanned a wide ravine. Promontory was just like the other towns only there was no exception to the rule of canvas houses. All the R.R. offices &c being wall tents boarded up. The C.P. train was waiting & went out half an hour after we came in. Pitched our tent a little to one side & exposed three plates on the last rail. Chemical effects good but was bothered with dust. Took a hearty supper at the New England House, Occupied the evening in walking about, Camped out in our tent & to bed early.
Thursday July 1st.
Slept very comfortably considering it was our first night's camping. Got up early & after breakfast filtered bath &c to commence work. Photographed various subjects until near noon when we packed up to leave on the 1 P.M. train & very glad we were to get out of the old place. ... "
[Courtesy NYPL.]
From: "Kevin" mikadobear45@yahoo.com
When was the UP's gallows turntable at Promontory installed? How long did it last after the CP moved the eastern terminus to Ogden? I noticed the table for the first time in the distance within the other" WHJ view.
From: Bob_Spude@nps.gov
The turntable with gallows headframe is on the CP side of the junction. Newspapers note its arrival by May 10, 1869 and its construction over the next two days. The UP had a Wye built before May 10. I'm not sure when the CP turntable was removed – was gone after the Dec-1869 relocation to Ogden. The UP built a three stall roundhouse with turntable sometime in early, mid-1870s. Still trying to track down exact date.
—Bob
I note that the USGS site lists the W. H. Jackson Promontory images as catalog numbers jwh00712 and jwh00714, with the image before being jwh00708 of Cheyenne and the one after being jwh00716 of Corrine. Perhaps someone can check to see if the USGS has some additional images of Promontory.
Kyle K. Wyatt
Curator of History & Technology
California State Railroad Museum
111 "I" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
My work address is: kwyatt@parks.ca.gov
My personal address is: kylewyatt@aol.com
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