CALI FO RN IA P O S ITIVE
A California History Timeline Part 3: The Rise and Fall of the Railroads By The Railyards Researched By Gabriela Perez Orta
“ The long-deserted Sacramento Railyards area lay dormant for decades. But plans to revitalize the area are finally coming to fruition as the over 244-acre development is moving forward, bringing housing, jobs, and culture to the state’s capital.” re you a California history buff or simply curious about the events that shaped the Golden State? Either way, we’ve got you covered with our California History Timeline series. Discover how the rise and fall of the railroads shaped our stateand the events leading up to today’s climate and economy in the final installment of our three-part series.
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railroad companies with building a transcontinental railroad linking the Eastern and Western United States.
The Rise and Fall of California’s Railroad Industry
That meant that goods could also be shipped cross-country, and California’s agricultural economy boomed as a result.
The completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 permanently changed California’s economy, especially for the men who controlled this new technology.
As the Gold Rush waned, farming became a primary economic activity in California. Farmers planted fruit, cotton, sugar beets, wheat, and vegetables. Refrigerated railcars were invented in the Sacramento railroad shops, allowing farmers to ship their goods across the country.
Four ambitious Sacramento merchants, Leland Stanford (founder of Stanford University), Collis Potter Huntington, Mark Hopkins Jr., and Charles Crocker, known as The Big Four, founded the Central Pacific Railroad (CPRR) in 1861. The first rails were laid in Sacramento two years later. Construction began in earnest in 1865 as the CPRR raced to connect to the Union Pacific Railroad under the 1862 Pacific Railroad Act that chartered the 14 | CALIFORNIA BROKER
The completion of the transcontinental railroad cut travel for the 3,000-mile journey across the United States from a trip that could take months to one that could be completed in under a week.
In the 1880s, the Southern Pacific Railroad (which had formally merged with the Central Pacific Railroad in 1959) was the largest landowner in the state. The railroad’s publicity department flooded the nation with articles and stories of California’s charm, natural beauty, climate, and heritage. The PR efforts worked, and California saw an influx of newcomers, especially in Southern California.
calbrokermag.com
MAY 2025
