Today I hung out at the Huntington Gardens and Museum. I explored to exhibit call "Visions of Empire...The Quest for a Railroad Across America, 1840-1880". The politics of the time are presented as well as a bit of bribery and graft. It took the Civil War and the succession of the South to get the Congress to pass the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 that led to allocating the money to pay the railroads to build it. Hopkins, Crocker, Huntington, and Stanford, the 4 kings, were central to the endeavor and they did pretty well for themselves along with New York railroad financier, Thomas Curant. Even Iowa congressman, Samuel Curtis was in on the deal to make a profit from this endeavor.The government gave government bonds and grants of public lands to the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific Railroad of California. The Civil War took the man power so not much was completed until the push from 1865 to 1869. The Chinese laborers got the tracks over the Sierra's. The telegraph lines were strung along the root so communication across the country was greatly enhanced by the completion. This expanded the move Westward taking advantage of the natural resources and land.
The Chinese Garden was beautiful with another years growth of the trees and flowers making it look like the buildings, bridges and lagoon have always been there. The newly remodeled Japanese Garden is more beautiful than even....then there are the amazing flowers. Another great day, although gray, at the Huntington.
Then this Canadian Goose and his buddy flew in to greet me with lots of noise and fanfare. It's nice to be welcomed so grandly.
No comments:
Post a Comment