I was thrilled to find your publication The Pacific [Tourist] by Henry T. [Williams].
I am writing a story set in 1877 that places my characters on a train from Los Angeles to the state line between Utah and Wyoming. I'd like for everything to be as accurate as possible ... do you know of any guide written in the era for the trip from Los Angeles to San [Francisco]?
Thank you so much for all your work in preserving RR history. I am old enough to remember traveling from Wichita to Philadelphia on an "old-fashioned" train with dining car and sleepers. It was a trip never to be forgotten.
—Brenda Reed
From: "Larry Mullaly" mullaly@jeffnet.org
ReplyDeleteI would suggest Between the Gates by Benjamin F. Taylor. It is a rather flamboyant treatment, but rich in color. Original publication date is 1878. You can find the full text on Google Books.
Other source you might look at are the Library of Congress' America Memory Series: California As I Saw It: First Person Narratives. You can search this collection by year as well as topic.
—Larry Mullaly
From: "Wendell Huffman" wendellhuffman@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteThe Pacific tourist: J.R. Bowman's illustrated transcontinental guide ... edited by Frederick E. Shearer.
From: "Brenda Reed" brendawestonwv@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this information. I appreciate it greatly.