In the late 1840s, a handful of unlikely miners picking their way through California’s foothills stumbled upon one of the most monumental and consequential discoveries in American history: gold. The sudden flurry of gold deposits reported in the California territory caused the fledgling nation to gobble up California in 1850, making it the 31st state to enter the Union.
Once California was officially part of the United States, it wasn’t long before the powers that be determined a coast-to-coast railroad would be necessary. After all, there were plenty of people on the east coast who wanted to try their hand at gold panning.
So, in 1853, the U.S. government set about scouring the nation for the right plots of land to build a transcontinental railroad. These expeditions would become known as the Pacific Railroad surveys. Here in Texas, these surveys would create hundreds of miles of new track.
Getting the team together
Five transcontinental surveys were conducted in total. Each was overseen by the Secretary of War, Jefferson Davis (future President of the Confederacy). The actual surveys were carried out by the veteran surveyors at the Corps of Topographical Engineers (CTE). These expert surveyors already had a reputation for quality due to U.S.-Mexico border surveys conducted in years prior.
In all, the surveyors at the CTE were tasked with covering more than 400,000 square miles of land. This army was composed of more than just surveyors—there were also scientists and artists in the group. Their inclusion allowed the Pacific Railroad surveys in Texas and the rest of the country to collect a massive amount of information about the country.
The Pacific Railroad surveys ultimately recorded information about the Native American tribes who occupied the land. They also took notes on geology and botany and delivered thousands of pictures of the diverse array of fish, birds and other wildlife. In the end, the Pacific Railroad surveys offered a close-up snapshot of a nation being born.
The end results
Of the five surveys conducted, two transcontinental lines were built. One of them—the southernmost, in fact—ran across the state of Texas to San Diego. The route ran along the same path as a famous overland mail carrier network.
Though construction of the railroad wasn’t begun immediately, Congress eventually relented. The growing population in the American West and the growth of railroad specialists compelled Congress to commit to building a coast-to-coast railroad. It was finally completed in 1881.
Texas’ surveyors
The Pacific Railroad surveys in Texas were just another in a long line of landmark contributions that the state has given the industry. That’s a history we’re proud to continue at D.G. Smyth & Co., Inc. For more than 40 years, our highly-skilled staff has worked tirelessly to ensure our clients’ needs are always met.
We do it all—boundary surveys, topographical surveys, dispute mediation, elevation certificates, title surveys, mortgage surveys and more! When you need the state’s best surveyors, you need D.G. Smyth & Co., Inc. Contact us today to arrange a consultation.