Thomas C. Durant papers, 1829-1966
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Durant, Thomas C.
- Title
- Thomas C. Durant papers
- Dates
- 1829-1966 (inclusive)Date of CollectionDate of Collection
- Quantity
- 1.35 cubic ft. (3 boxes)
- Collection Number
- 00593
- Summary
- Thomas C. Durant was a prominent figure in the history of the Transcontinental Railroad. Collection contains letters, books, clippings and ephemera, financial records, photographs, and genealogy.
- Repository
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American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu - Access Restrictions
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There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English
Historical Note
Thomas C. Durant was a prominent figure in the history of the Transcontinental Railroad. In 1851, he forged a partnership with Henry Farnam to build the Michigan Southern Railroad and, later, both the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad and the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad. During the planning period for the Transcontinental Railroad, Durant claimed to have convinced President Lincoln of the idea to begin the railroad in Omaha, Nebraska. By 1863, the partners had secured a little over two million in capital, and General John A. Dix was elected President of Union Pacific with Durant serving as Vice President. This position made him general manager of the project as well. Following a tumultuous period surrounding Durant’s leadership of the project wherein his firing was hotly debated and once attempted, Durant and President Leland Stanford of Central Pacific met in Promontory Point, Utah to drive the last spike in May 1869. Durant was soon dropped from his leadership role thereafter. He spent the rest of his life developing the timber and iron resources in and transportation around the Adirondacks.
Content Description
Collection contains letters and copies of correspondence, 5 mid-nineteenth century textbooks, a leather file, clippings and railroad tickets, 2 bank deposit books, a name stamp, an Indenture record, receipts and statements, an excursion ticket, dissolution papers, photostatic pictures and photographs, a mortgage, a Union Pacific Railroad pass, a crayon portrait of Durant and a sketch, and a book on the Durant family genealogy.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Use
Copyright InformationThe researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
Restrictions on Use
Statement on Potentially Harmful Language and Images Found in CollectionsThe American Heritage Center aspires to approach all areas of our work in ways that are respectful to those who create, use, and are represented in our collections. For a variety of reasons, however, users may encounter offensive or harmful language or images in some of our finding aids, catalogs, and collection materials.
Note that the AHC does not censor or alter contents of the collections as they provide context and evidence of a time, people, place, or event. Therefore, we encourage users to bring questions and concerns about descriptions in our finding aids to our attention via email or anonymous web-form. For more information, read our full statement.
Preferred Citation
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Administrative Information
Return to TopDetailed Description of the Collection
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Inventories
The American Heritage Center is in the process of converting its older container lists to a more accessible format. This link is to an older version of a container list for 3 boxes.
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Description: Link to Container List (PDF)Container: Box 1-3
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Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Banks and banking -- Accounting.
- Genealogy.
- Letters.
- Railroad tickets.
- Railroads.
- Transportation -- Tickets.
Corporate Names
- Union Pacific Railroad Company.
Form or Genre Terms
- Photographs.
