America's Second Transcontinental Railroad

(Joined Here in 1881) Great achievement in American history. Victory for statesmen, including Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, who early as 1845 had supported in the United States Congress the idea of a transcontinental railroad. This was effected in 1869, but a need remained-- as advocated in the Congress-- for a southern route. In 1869 the Southern Pacific began constructing such a line eastward from the west coast. In 1871 the Texas & Pacific began building a line, under a special Act of Congress, from east Texas to southern California. They ran a dramatic race which reached its climax as construction crews for the roads neared this site. Southern Pacific reached Sierra Blanca on Nov. 25, 1881-- while crews of the T. & P. were 10 miles to the east of here. On Nov. 26, 1881, an agreement was reached by Jay Gould, for the Texas & Pacific, and Collis P. Huntington, for the Southern Pacific, whereby in Sierra Blanca the roads would "approach, meet, and form one continuous line to the Pacific Ocean." The lines were joined here on Dec. 15,1881, and on Dec. 16 transcontinental service was inaugurated. (1968)

America's Second Transcontinental Railroad is a historical marker in Sierra Blanca, Hudspeth County, dedicated in 1968. It is one of 14 historical markers documented in Hudspeth County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 27 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 31.1766, -105.3580 near Sierra Blanca. The nearest cataloged historic site is Hudspeth County (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Byrne, J. J., The Killing of, Fort Quitman, C.S.A, and Hudspeth County Courthouse.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5229000148. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.