I find the history of travel in North America to be very romantic; fur trade routes in the 18th century, wagon trains and the railroad in the 19th century, flying boats in the 20th century. Golden Spike National Historic Site marks the spot where the first transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869
At the site they have replica trains
and lumps of coal
and old adverts, this one from when the line only ran as far west as North Platte Nebraska. This ad states that passengers "Will save 200 Miles Stage Travel and 48 Hours Time by taking this Route"
