Historic Map - California - Railroad & Counties - 1883

Enlarged scale railroad and county map of California showing every railroad station and post office in the state. Rand McNally & Co's.

In the years following the forming of the first transcontinental railway, with the linking of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads in Utah, railroad executives began concentrating on linking California with New Orleans.

In 1881, the Southern Pacific Railway connected with the Santa Fe Railroad at Deming, New Mexico. In 1883, the Southern Pacific began acquiring smaller railway lines and dominating transportation within California. This new system was called the Sunset Route, though many referred to it as the “Octopus” because of its inflated shipping rates. Complaints of this pricey practice later inspired the state to install stiff regulations in the railroad industry.

This relief map of California was published in 1883 by Rand, McNally & Co. It shows cities and towns, counties, waterways, roads and railroads. An inset map of the United States is shown in the upper right. Tables include Presidents of the United States, quantity of coal produced in each state and territory, California counties with acreage, valuation and population, and a table showing the difference in the number of domestic animals in the United States and Europe.