The Civil War hindered railroad construction, but in July 1865, workers laid down Union Pacific track in mud flats near Omaha.
Construction crawled. At the end of 1865, Union Pacific tracks totaled just 40 miles. But by October 1866, the rails reached the 100th meridian, 247 miles west of Omaha.
Union Pacific celebrated.
Two trains chugged down the track to the 100th meridian. Red, white, and blue streamers billowed alongside the cars, and festive antlers perched on top of locomotives.
The first train lugged supplies for a party, Western style, including tents, buffalo robes and cases of champagne. The second train brought 140 party goers—the guest list loaded with influential capitalists and Congressional dignitaries.
They whooped it up for three days, dancing around a huge bonfire, peering at a prairie dog town, applauding Pawnee war dancers, and eating fresh-killed antelope for dinner.
Find out soon in
THIEVES, RASCALS & SORE LOSERS:
A Saucy History of a Nebraska County Seat War
by Marilyn June Coffey
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