Westward Expansion Collection (#7)

OKLAHOMA LAND RUSH, 1893. Homesteaders at registration booths south of Arkansas City, Kansas, on the border with the Oklahoma Territory, 15 September 1893

OKLAHOMA LAND RUSH, 1893. Homesteaders on their way to the opening of the Cherokee Strip in the Oklahoma Territory purchasing canteens of water at a train station in Wichita, Kansas

OKLAHOMA LAND RUSH, 1889. At the direction of U.S. cavalry troops, Oklahoma Boomers race across the boundary into the Oklahoma Territory at the stroke of noon, 22 April 1889

COLORADO: LEADVILLE, 1882. Birds eye view of Leadville, Colorado. Lithograph, 1879

OREGON: FORT GEORGE, 1849. Fort George (later Astoria), established by John Jacob Astors Pacific Fur Company in 1811 on the Columbia River, the first permanent settlement in the Oregon country

CARTOON: OKLAHOMA, 1891. In Boom City, Oklahoma. Oklahoma boomers introducing themselves to a capitalist from the eastern United States. Cartoon from an American newspaper of 1891

OKLAHOMA BOOMER, 1889. A boomers wife awaiting the opening of homestead lands in Oklahoma on 22 April 1889. Contemporary American drawing

CALIFORNIA PIONEERS, c1850. Lithograph sheet music cover, c1850, for The California Pioneers by Dr. M.A. Richter, the first piece of music published in California

OKLAHOMA LAND RUSH, 1889. Laying out lots in Guthrie, Oklahoma Territory, on the first day of the Oklahoma Land Rush, 22 April 1889. Drawing from a contemporary American newspaper

OKLAHOMA LAND RUSH, 1889. Arrival of the first train at Guthrie, Oklahoma Territory, on the first day of the Oklahoma land rush, 22 April 1889. Drawing from a contemporary American newspaper

NEW MEXICO, 1885. San Francisco Street in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Photograph, c1885, by William Henry Brown

OKLAHOMA MAP, 1889. Map of Oklahoma and surrounding portions of the Indian Territory, 1889

NEW MEXICO: COMPANY STORE. Gross, Blackwell & Company store in Las Vegas, New Mexico, c1886

COLORADO: HOTEL, c1880. The Park Hotel in the Ote Pass, Colorado, c1880

COLORADO: LEADVILLE, c1880. Leadville, Colorado, from Carbonate Hill. Photographed c1880 by William Henry Jackson

OKLAHOMA BOOMERS, 1889. A boomer family awaiting the opening of homestead lands on 22 April 1889. Drawing from a contemporary American newspaper

BEAR RIVER CITY, WYOMING. Hell on Wheels town, in Wyoming Territory, on the Union Pacific Railroad. Photographed in 1867

SANTA FE TRAIL: PACK TRAIN. Pack Train to Santa Fe, 1820. Painting, 1898, by Frederic Remington

OKLAHOMA LAND RUSH, 1893. Passengers aboard a Rock Island Train at the state line at Caldwell, Kansas, await the opening of the Cherokee Strip in the Oklahoma Territory, 16 September 1893

COLORADO: BLACK HAWK CITY. Photographed 1864

KANSAS: COUNCIL GROVE. Main Street looking West in Council Grove, Kansas, forming part of the Santa Fe Trail. Photograph, 1870s

KANSAS: SOD HOUSE. The first house (sod) in Dodge City, Kansas

KANSAS: DODGE CITY, 1873. Front Street, Dodge City, looking east from Third Avenue in 1873

NEVADA: MAIN STREET, 1903. Main Street, Goldfield, Nevada, photographed in 1903

SOUTH DAKOTA: DEADWOOD. Photographed 1876

RAILROAD: 19th CENTURY. A railroad track in the American west. Photograph by William Henry Jackson, late 19th century

FORT BRIDGER, WYOMING, 1852. A fur trading outpost established in 1842 along the Oregon Trail. American lithograph, 1852

MORMONS EMIGRATING, 1871. A Mormon family on their way to Salt Lake City. Engraving, 1871

MORMONS EMIGRATING, 1856. Mormons crossing the plains. Engraving, 1856

MORMONS & QUAIL. Descent of the thousands of quail on Mormons in Utah wilderness: oil on linen by Carl Christensen

MORMON IN UTAH, 1847. Mormon Tabernacle camp on their arrival in Utah. Wood engraving, American, 1870

BUFFALO HUNTING, 1877. A Days Still-Hunting After Buffalo. Buffalo hunters on the Great Plains. Engraving, American, 1877

ROCKIES: HUNTERS, 1890. A Hunters Shack in the Rocky Mountains. Engraving, American, 1890

BUFFALO HUNTING, 1884. Scenes of buffalo and buffalo hunting. Engraving, American, 1884

COLORADO: HUNTING, 1875. Shooting Antelopes from a Railroad Train in Colorado. Engraving, American, 1875

IMMIGRANT COACH CAR, 1881. On an Immigrant Train, Westward Bound. Wood engraving, American, 1881

TRAIN TRAVEL, 1883. Westward Bound - Scenes on an Immigrant Train. Engraving and drawing by W.A. Rogers from sketches by Theodore R. Davis, 1883

PROMONTORY POINT, 1869. The joining of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads at Promontory Point, Utah, on May 10, 1869. Photograph

CALIFORNIA: RAILROAD. Chinese workers at the Secret Town trestle built for the Central Pacific Railroad in California. Photograph, c1868

CALIFORNIA: RAILROAD. The Secret Town trestle built for the Central Pacific Railroad in California. Photograph by Alfred Hart, c1868

NEBRASKA: RAILROAD WORK. Workers laying down track in the Humboldt Plains in Nevada. Photograph by Alfred Hart, c1868

RAILROAD DEPOT, c1868. Depot of the Central Pacific Railroad at Elko, Nevada, during the construction of the first transcontinental railroad. Stereograph by Alfred Hart, c1868

RAILROAD AND WAGON TRAIN. The Jupiter steam locomotive of the Central Pacific railway meeting a Conestoga wagon train going in the opposite direction. Photograph, late 19th century

100th MERIDIAN, 1866. Directors of the Union Pacific Railroad celebrate that the tracks have reached the 100th Meridian. Stereographic view, October 1866

PHOTOGRAPHY RAILROAD CAR. The photography car which followed the Pacific Railroad s
PHOTOGRAPHY RAILROAD CAR. The photography car which followed the Pacific Railroads mile-a-day construcion of the the rails, recording the progress. Photograph, c1868, near Point of Rocks, Wyoming

CONESTOGA WAGON. Pen-and-ink drawing, 19th century

RAILROAD LAND SALE, 1872. Advertisement for farmland owned by the Union Pacific Railroad in Nebraska, 1872

RUSSELL: OVERLAND STAGE. The Overland Stage. Drawing by Charles M. Russell (1864-1926)

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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.