Westward Expansion Collection

American Progress
Painting entitled American Progress, by John Gast, depicting Manifest Destiny (the religious belief that the United States should expand from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean in the name of)

RUSSELL: STAGE ROBBER. A stage robber pointing a shotgun. The vignette in the right corner shows the robber with a treasure box and a dead messenger as the stagecoach drives off

WILLIAM H. BONNEY (1859-1881). Known as Billy the Kid. American desperado. Billy the Kid holding a Model Winchester 73 rifle. Oil over a photograph, c1880

ST. LOUIS: FREIGHT YARD. Twilight view of a freight yard near a grain storage facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Photographed c1974

NEBRASKA: SETTLERS, 1886. The Chrisman Sisters in front of a sod house in Goheen Valley, Custer County, Nebraska. Photograph by Solomon D. Butcher, 1886

WAGON TRAIL. A wagon train of settlers crossing the plains of the American West. Oil on canvas, 1951, by Oscar Edmund Berninghaus (1874-1952)

LOUISIANA PURCHASE, 1803. Under My Wings, Everything Prospers. View of the city of New Orleans, celebrating President Jeffersons Louisana Purchase. Oil on canvas, 1803, by Boqueto de Woiserie

MAP: UNITED STATES, 1820. Engraved map of the United States, 1820, drawing on the geographical discoveries of the Lewis & Clark expedition

TEXAS: COWBOY, c1910. A cowboy holding a rope around the neck of a bucking bronco on a ranch in Texas. Photograph by Erwin Evans Smith, c1910

Pioneer flatboat on the Ohio River, c. 1845 (engraving)
PNP248814 Pioneer flatboat on the Ohio River, c.1845 (engraving) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; Peter Newark American Pictures; American, out of copyright

COVERED WAGON, c1880. Drawing, American, 20th century

The Golden Spike Ceremony, 10th May 1869 (b / w photo)
PNP246752 The Golden Spike Ceremony, 10th May 1869 (b/w photo) by Savage, Charles Roscoe (1832-1909); Private Collection; (add.info)

0008627
RAILWAY POSTER, 1870s. A Chicago and North-Western Railway poster of the 1870s promoting free homestead lands in the Dakota Territory

BIERSTADT: YELLOWSTONE. Yellowstone Falls. Oil on canvas by Albert Bierstadt, c1881

COLORADO: MINING, 1874. A mountainside in Colorado honeycombed by silver mines. Wood engraving, American, 1874

REMINGTON: 10th CAVALRY. A Retiring Scout. Enlisted man of the 10th (Colored) Cavalry, known as Buffalo Soldiers, on maneuvers in Arizona. Wood engraving after Frederick Remington, 1888

VOYAGEURS in Camp for the Night: illustration by Frederic Remington

BUFFALO BILL: POSTER, 1893. Buffalo Bill Wild West Show lithograph poster, c1893

REMINGTON: SIGNAL, c1896. The Blanket Signal: oil on canvas, c1896, by Frederic Remington

The March Of The Caravan
Illustration titled The March of the Caravan, depicting a wagon train passing over the prairie, taken from Commerce of the Prairies by Josiah Gregg. USA, 1844. (Photo by Fotosearch/Getty Images)

EMIGRANTS TO OHIO, 1805. Emigrants from Connnecticut heading for eastern Ohio in 1805. Wood engravig, American, 1861

TEXAS FLAG, 19th CENTURY. Texas war flag, 19th century

Santa Fe Trail route on an 1870s map of the US
NWI4712668 Santa Fe Trail route on an 1870s map of the US.; (add.info.: Santa Fe Trail route on an 1870s map of the US.); Photo © North Wind Pictures

National Road route on an 1870s map of the US
NWI4712666 National Road route on an 1870s map of the US.; (add.info.: National Road route on an 1870s map of the US.); Photo © North Wind Pictures

Routes of the great westward trails on an 1870s map of the US
NWI4712693 Routes of the great westward trails on an 1870s map of the US.; (add.info.: Routes of the great westward trails on an 1870s map of the US.); Photo © North Wind Pictures

Oregon Trail and California Trail routes on an 1870s map of the US
NWI4712662 Oregon Trail and California Trail routes on an 1870s map of the US.; (add.info.: Oregon Trail and California Trail routes on an 1870s map of the US.); Photo © North Wind Pictures

Map showing center of US population moving westward along the National Road, 1790-1900
NWI4712731 Map showing center of US population moving westward along the National Road, 1790-1900.; (add.info.: Map showing center of US population moving westward along the National Road)

Oregon Trail route on an 1870s map of the US
NWI4712599 Oregon Trail route on an 1870s map of the US.; (add.info.: Oregon Trail route on an 1870s map of the US.); Photo © North Wind Pictures

Indian Land for Sale, 1911 (litho)
PNP246284 Indian Land for Sale, 1911 (litho) by American School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: issued by Commissioner of Indian Affairs; ); Peter Newark American Pictures; American

Handbill of the Great Western Transportation Company, 1835 (litho)
PNP246640 Handbill of the Great Western Transportation Company, 1835 (litho) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Driving the Golden Spike on 10th May, 1869 (colour litho)
PNP246765 Driving the Golden Spike on 10th May, 1869 (colour litho) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Grand rush for Indian territory (litho)
PNP464797 Grand rush for Indian territory (litho) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; Peter Newark Pictures; American, out of copyright

Governor Stanford 4-4-0 locomotive, 1869 (b/w photo)
PNP246677 Governor Stanford 4-4-0 locomotive, 1869 (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; Peter Newark American Pictures

American Progress, 1872 (oil on canvas)
CH205269 American Progress, 1872 (oil on canvas) by Gast, John (1842-1896); Private Collection; Photo eChristies Images; American, out of copyright

A Home in the Wilderness, 1870 (colour lithograph)
3704173 A Home in the Wilderness, 1870 (colour lithograph) by Currier, N. (1813-88) and Ives, J.M. (1824-95); Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA; American, out of copyright

Across the Continent: Westward the Course of the Empire Takes its Way
3704136 Across the Continent: Westward the Course of the Empire Takes its Way, 1868 (hand-coloured lithograph) by Currier, N. (1813-88) and Ives, J.M

Wells Fargo Express, 1890 (b / w photo)
5042929 Wells Fargo Express, 1890 (b/w photo) by Grabill, John C. H. (fl. late 19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

A Wagon Train formed into a Corral on the Oregon Trail, 1869 (litho)
PNP268174 A Wagon Train formed into a Corral on the Oregon Trail, 1869 (litho) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Watching the Wagons (colour litho)
PNP246203 Watching the Wagons (colour litho) by Frenzeny, Paul (1840-1902); Private Collection; Peter Newark American Pictures; American, out of copyright

Building the Northern Pacific Railroad, from Harpers Weekly
PNP246927 Building the Northern Pacific Railroad, from Harpers Weekly, 17th July 1875 (engraving) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; Peter Newark American Pictures; American

Railroad Construction Crews, 1887 (b / w photo)
PNP246914 Railroad Construction Crews, 1887 (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: constructing the St Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railway)

Chinese workers helping construct the Central Pacific Railroad
PNP246754 Chinese workers helping construct the Central Pacific Railroad, completed 1869 (colour litho) by American School

Rincon train station, New Mexico, 1883 (b / w photo)
PNP246737 Rincon train station, New Mexico, 1883 (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; Peter Newark American Pictures; American, out of copyright

A Schenectady Locomotive (engraving)
PNP246654 A Schenectady Locomotive (engraving) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: built for Chicago & North Western Railway; 4-6-0 type;)

Union Pacific Railroad Poster, c. 1880 (colour litho)
PNP246282 Union Pacific Railroad Poster, c.1880 (colour litho) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Independence, Missouri, c. 1850 (engraving)
PNP246214 Independence, Missouri, c.1850 (engraving) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: major outfitting point of departure for west bound wagon trains;)

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"Westward Expansion: Pioneers, Outlaws, and Progress" In the vast canvas of American history, Westward Expansion stands as a defining chapter that shaped the nation's destiny. From sea to shining sea, this extraordinary period witnessed the relentless march of progress and exploration across untamed lands. The iconic painting "American Progress" by John Gast captures the spirit of this era with its depiction of a majestic figure leading settlers towards new horizons. Amidst this grand narrative emerged legendary figures who became synonymous with the Wild West. Billy the Kid, portrayed in an oil over photograph artwork, epitomized the daring desperadoes who roamed these lawless territories. Holding his Model Winchester 73 rifle with steely determination, he embodied both fear and fascination. The expansion was not without its challenges; it required immense infrastructure development like St. Louis' freight yard near a grain storage facility depicted in a twilight view photograph from 1974. This bustling hub served as a lifeline for trade and transportation during those transformative times. Nebraska's Chrisman Sisters symbolize another facet - brave settlers seeking fortunes on unfamiliar soil. Their humble sod house in Goheen Valley serves as a testament to their resilience amidst harsh conditions. The journey west wasn't limited to land alone; rivers played an integral role too. A pioneer flatboat gracefully gliding along Ohio River waters in an engraving from 1845 showcases how waterways facilitated movement and commerce during this period. As wagon trains traversed plains under boundless skies, dreams were realized through sheer determination and perseverance. These pioneers embarked on arduous journeys captured vividly in images such as "Wagon Trail, " reminding us of their indomitable spirit that forged paths into uncharted territories. One cannot discuss Westward Expansion without acknowledging pivotal events like Louisiana Purchase which doubled America's size overnight while opening doors to prosperity unseen before.