Currier & Ives Railroad Prints - Westward the Empire, 1870-1871

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Currier & Ives Railroad Lithographs:
WESTWARD THE EMPIRE, 1870-1871

Currier & Ives was a lithographic firm in New York City from 1835 to 1907. Self-described as "Publishers of Cheap and Popular Pictures," but better described by collectors and admirers as "The Printmakers to the American People," their works captured the pulse of 19th century American life and remain among the most collectible pieces of Americana.

A lithograph ("stone drawing") is created by grinding a piece of limestone into a flat, smooth surface, then drawing an image (in reverse) onto the stone using a grease crayon or pencil. Based on the principle of grease and water not mixing, the stone is then etched with a solution of aqua fortis, which leaves the greased areas in slight relief. To create the lithograph, the stone is washed with water, which is repelled by the crayon. Then, the stone is washed with ink, which is absorbed by the crayon. The image is printed onto the paper from the stone which can be re-inked many times.

Follow the course of the journey by train from the East Coast to the West Coast as illustrated by the seven Currier & Ives colored lithographs shown below: (1) The Night Express: The Start, (2) Suspension Bridge, (3) Prairie Fires, (4) The Great West, (5) Snow Bound, (6) Route to California, and (7) Through to the Pacific.
[Click on each image to bring up the next]
Courtesy Lynda L. Jones.

The Night Express: The Start

The Start
Courtesy Lynda L. Jones.

The Rail Road Suspension Bridge. Near Niagara Falls.

The Rail Road Suspension Bridge. Near Niagara Falls.
Courtesy Lynda L. Jones.

Prairie Fires of the Great West.

Prairie Fires of the Great West. (12" x 15") Currier & Ives, 1871 (detail). Engine with tender and seven coaches; buffalo fleeing fire to the rear. Currier & Ives made a name for themselves by capturing in print the disasters of the day and providing a visual history of them to the American people. Nathaniel Currier himself was a volunteer fireman in New York City, and thus arose his interest in conveying to the American people the drama of a raging fire
Courtesy Lynda L. Jones.

The Great West.

The Great West. (12" x 15") Currier & Ives, 1870 (detail). Train in a mountain valley with a village to the rear. Here, we see the train moving forward in its journey from the East through the Midwest bound for the Pacific Coast.
Courtesy Lynda L. Jones.

American Railroad Scene. Snow Bound.

American Railroad Scene. Snow Bound. (12" x 15") Currier & Ives, 1871 (detail). Here, we see the train snowbund with railroad workers digging away the snow so it can move forward in its journey from the East through the Midwest bound for the Pacific Coast.
Courtesy Lynda L. Jones.

Route to California.

Route to California, Truckee River Sierra-Nevada.
Sierra Nevada Mountains with train beside the Truckee River.
Courtesy Lynda L. Jones.

Through to the Pacific.
Through to the Pacific. (12" x 15") Currier & Ives, 1870 (detail). Train passing to the left of loggers and a town. During the 19th Century, train travel and the push to the West captivated the American people's imagination. Currier & Ives sought to document the beauty of a train as it moved across our magnificent country. Here, we see the train in the final moments of its journey from the East to the Pacific Coast.
Courtesy Lynda L. Jones.

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