Spanning the continent

Art, history, and innovation meet at many junctures throughout Walt Disney World. Perhaps it is my love of railroads, or maybe it is my passion for the underappreciated corners of the parks, but the murals that bookend the Walt Disney World Railroad’s Main Street Station are some of the most classic examples of the combination of these three elements.

The era of exploration and the ever-growing frontier is depicted in the station by a mural showcasing the use of natural resources in the creation of the railroads’ lines and, in the second mural, the driving of the golden spike. This moment in history has been depicted throughout various attractions at the Magic Kingdom, including during the parade America on Parade and in the current version of the Hall of Presidents. Maybe, however, it is best to let the murals speak for themselves, to impart their stories and wisdom, and remind us of where we have come from and where we are going.

SPANNING THE CONTINENT

From the laying of ties to construction of trestles, railroads could not have spanned the continent without the abundance of America’s forests.

This artist’s interpretation shows the step-by-step process involved in railroad construction: from the felling of trees and hauling to a sawmill, to finished rail ties and sturdy trestles that spanned the might rivers and broad canyons.





A GOLDEN SPIKE IS DRIVEN

With the driving of the last spike linking east and west, telegraph wires buzzed across the nation with the news of the great accomplishment. Among these messages was the following, to President Ulysses Grant…

“PROMONTORY SUMMIT, UTAH, MAY 10, 1869. THE LAST RAIL IS LAID. THE LAST SPIKE DRIVEN. THE PACIFIC RAILROAD IS COMPLETED. THE POINT OF JUNCTION IS 1,086 MILES WEST OF THE MISSOURI RIVER. AND 690 MILES EAST OF SACRAMENTO CITY.”