Thomas Jefferson and the Worlds' First Transcontinental Railroad

Today, in 2008 it is probably a scarcely known fact that Thomas Jefferson our third president (1801-1809), is credited with being the first to take action toward establishing a land route between the east and west coast of the United States.

Aside from an earlier coast to coast expeditionary mission started by Jefferson and ultimately thwarted by the Russian Empress Catherine, the first U.S. congressional appropriation for an exploratory party to find the best route from the east to west coast was made in 1803 on Thomas Jefferson’s recommendation.

The appropriations were made to:

• Send an exploring party to trace the Missouri River to it’s source
• Cross the cross the Rocky Mountains
• Follow the best route to the Pacific Ocean

Jefferson prepared a letter with instructions outlining mission specific goals and objectives. This expedition known as the “Lewis and Clark Expedition,” and was made between 1804 and1806. An excerpt from the letter follows:

"The object of your mission is to explore the Missouri River and such other streams as by their course would seem to offer the most direct and practicable communication across the continent for the purpose of commerce."

 As a result of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the west became a Mecca for fur trappers, traders and ultimately all types of commerce.