Andrew Smith Gallery - Hart-Watkins CPR Stereocard Set

The Construction of Central Pacific Railroad (CPRR)
as Photographed from 1864 to 1869 by Alfred A. Hart

Between 1864 and 1869, the artist Alfred A. Hart created a celebrated series of stereocard views of the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad from Sacramento to Promontory Point, Utah on May 10, 1869, where the C.P.R.R. joined the Union Pacific Railroad in the Golden Spike ceremony. Hart along with A. J. Russell and Charles Savage were the three photographers to document this event.

Hart steadfastly photographed the digging and grading of the route, tunnels, bridges, the Chinese labor force, Piute Indians whose land was crossed in the route, scenic views of the mountain passes, hidden lakes and rivers of California, Nevada and Utah, the Truckee River, Donner Pass, Cape Horn, as well as older modes of transportation which were being replaced culminating in the golden spike ceremony.

His 364 views with variants comprise the largest group of photographs of this western most construction of America's first transcontinental railroad. Very few collections exist and the H. C. Peterson set viewed here comprises 339 of the 364 views making it the one of the largest collections outside of a few museums. Peterson was curator at the Leland Stanford Museum in the early 20th century and an acquaintance of Carleton Watkins. This set was probably obtained from Watkins and has many of the Hart negatives printed on Watkins mounts, as in 1871 Watkins purchased the negatives from Hart in the early 1870.

These images are best viewed with a Stereo Viewer. This will allow you to see the images with the intended 3-D effect.

001. Locomotive STANFORD Probably At Newcastle, Cal.

003. Depot And Trestle, At Newcastle

004. Road Above Newcastle, Placer County.

005. View In Dutch Ravine, Placer County.

006. View In Dutch Ravine, 32 Miles From Sacramento.

007. Embankment In Dutch Ravine, Above Newcastle.

008. Approaching Bloomer Cut

009. Bloomer Cut, 800 Feet Long, Looking East.

010. Bloomer Cut, Birdseye View, 63 Feet Deep, 800 Long

011. Bloomer Cut And Embankment, Looking East

012. Bloomer Cut, 63 Feet High, Looking West.

013. View In Bloomer Cut, Near Auburn

013b. View In Bloomer Cut, Near Auburn

015. High Bank, Baltimore Ravine.

016. Rock Cut, Near Auburn, Placer County

017. Rock Ravine, Near Auburn.

018. High Embankment, Near Auburn.

019. Trestle, Opposite Auburn

021. Auburn Station & Locomotives

022. Road East Of Station

023. Road In Auburn Ravine, Placer County.

024. Lime Point, Above Auburn.

025. High Embankment, Auburn Ravine.

027. Trestle Near Lovell's Ranch, 40 Miles From Sacramento.

028. Road And Trestle, Near Lovell's Ranch.

029. Trestle In Clipper Ravine , Placer County

030. Trestle Bridge, 120 Feet High, 600 Feet Long, Clipper Ravine

031. Trestle Bridge, Clipper Ravine, Near View.

034. Locomotive Atlantic At Colfax

035. Depot At Colfax, 500 Feet Long. 55 Miles From Sacramento.

036. Colfax From The South, Altitude 2,448 Feet.

037. Teamster's Camp, At Colfax, Placer County.

038. Cañon Of American River From Near Colfax, Cape Horn And Railroad On The Left

039. Long Ravine Bridge, From The Top Of Cape Horn.

040. Long Ravine Bridge From The West. 56 Miles From Sacramento.

041. Long Ravine Bridge, Near Colfax. Length 1,050 Feet.

042. Long Ravine Bridge From Below. 120 Feet High.

043. Cape Horn And Railroad From The West. Hight [sic] Above Ravine 1,400 Feet.

044. American River And Canyon, From Cape Horn. River Below Railroad 1,400 Ft.

044a. American R. And Canyon, From Cape Horn. River Below R.R. 1,400 Ft.

044b. Am. River And Cañon From Cape Horn, River Below Railroad 1,400 Ft. 57 miles from Sacramento

045. Sawmill And Cut East Of Cape Horn

047. Secret Town. 62 Miles From Sacramento. Altitude 3,000 Feet.

048. Secrettown Trestle From The West. Length 1,100 Feet.

049. Secrettown Trestle From The East. Hight [sic] 90 Feet.

049. Secrettown Trestle From The East. [ Half Stereo ]

050. Tunnel Hill Cut, Depth 111 Feet. 63 Miles From Sacramento.

051. Bear River Valley - You Bet And Mines In The Distance

052. Bear River Valley, Near Gold Run, Little York Mines In The Distance.

53. Cut Through "Dixie Spur," 64 Miles From Sacramento.

054. Gold Run And Railroad Cut. Altitude 3,245 Feet.

055. Flume And Railroad At Gold Run.

056. Rounding Cape Horn - Road To Iowa Hill From The River.

057. Excursion Train At Cape Horn. 3 Miles Above Colfax

058. Secret Ravine, Iowa Hill In The Distance. 6 Miles From Sacramento.

059. Hornet Hill Cut - West Of Gold Run. 50 Feet Deep

060. Train In Dixie But. Gold Run Station, Placer County.

061. Hydraulic Mining At Gold Run, Placer County.

061a. Hydraulic Mining Scene At Gold Run, Placer County.

062. Embankment Below Dutch Flat, Placer County

063. Dutch Flat, Placer County, 67 Miles From Sacramento.

064. Dutch Flat Station (1 Mi. Below Dutch Flat)

065. View Near Dutch Flat,

066. Sandstone Cut, Near Alta, Placer County.

067. Alta From The South. Altitude 3,635 Feet. 69 Miles From Sacramento.

068. Alta From The North. Altitude 3,040 Feet. 69 Miles From Sacramento.

069. The Huntington At Alta, Placer County.

070. Blasting At Chalk Bluffs Above Alta. Cut 60 Feet Deep.

071. Building Bank Across Cañon Creek. 87 Feet High.

072. Culvert At Canyon Creek. 185 Feet Long-12 Feet Span.

073. Cut Above Alta, Placer County

074. Secrettown Bridge. 1,100 Feet Long. 62 Miles From Sacramento.

075. Superintendent Strobridge And Family, At Alta

076. Giant's Gap,American River, 2,500 Feet Perpendicular 72 Miles From Sacrament

077. Green Valley And Giant's Gap, American River 1,500 Feet Below Railroad.

078. Green Bluffs. 1,500 Feet Above American River. 71 Miles From Sac.

079. View West Of Prospect Hill. 75 Miles From Sacramento.

080. Prospect Hill From Camp 21. 75 Miles From Sacramento.

081. Little Blue Cañon, 74 Miles From Sacramento.

082. Prospect Hill Cut, Upper Slope, 170 Feet.

083. Prospect Hill Cut, From The North.

084. View At China Ranch. 75 Miles From Sacramento.

085. Fort Point Cut, 70 Feet Deep, 600 Feet Long.

086. View North Of Fort Point. 76 Miles From Sacramento.

087. Horse Ravine. 77 Miles

088. Horse Ravine Wall And Grizzly Hill Tunnel. 77 Miles From Sacramento.

089. Grizzly Hill Tunnel From The North. 500 Feet Long.

090. Bank And Cut At Sailor's Spur, 80 Miles From Sacramento.

091. Owl Gap Cut, 900 Feet Long, 45 Feet Deep. 80 Miles From Sacramento.

092. Heath's Ravine Bank, 82 Feet High. 82 Miles From Sacramento.

093. Black Butte And Crystal Lake, 90 Miles From Sacramento.

094. Crystal Lake, Altitude 5,907 Feet. 90 Miles From Sacramento.

095. Crystal Lake. Altitude 5,907 Feet.

096. Cascades On The Yuba River. Near Crystal Lake

097. Rattlesnake Mounatain And Cascades, On Yuba River, Near Cisco

098. Black Butte, From The North

098. Black Butte, From The North [ Half Stereo ]

099. Lower Cisco, Placer County, 92 Miles From Sacramento.

100. Yuba Cascade And Hieroglyphic Rocks, On The Yuba River, Near Crystal Lake

101. Hieroglyphic Rocks, on the Yuba River, near Crystal Lake.

102. Hieroglyphic Rocks, on the Yuba River, near Crystal Lake.

103. Hieroglyphic Rocks, on the Yuba River, near Crystal Lake.

104 Yuba River, above Cisco, Placer County.

105. New Hampshire Rocks, on Yuba River. Summer view. 96 miles from Sacramento.

106. New Hampshire Falls, on Yuba River. Summer view, 96 miles from Sacramento.

107. New Hampshire Rocks, Looking Down The River

108. Scene on Yuba River, above Cisco.

108. Scene on Yuba River, above Cisco. [ Half Stereo ]

109 Summit Valley, Altitude 6,960 feet. Emigrant Mt. and R.R. Pass in dist.

110 Castle Peak from Lava Bluff, 10,000 feet above the sea. Western Summit.

111. Castle Peak And Yuba River, From Summit Valley, 102 Miles From Sacramento.

112. Scene near Donner Pass. Table Peak in the distance.

113. Castle Peak from Grant's Butte, Western Summit.

114. Scene at Lake Angela. Altitude 7,300 feet.

115 Lake Angela, Mt. King In The Distance. Western Summit.

116 Camp near Summit Tunnel, Mount King in the distance.

117 Bluffs in Donner Pass, Western Summit, 500 feet; altitude of Pass 7,090 ft.

118. Summit Tunnel-Eastern Portal. Length 1,000 Feet, On The Western Summit

119. Laborers And Rocks, Near Opening Of Summit Tunnel

120 Scene near Summit Tunnel, Eastern slope of Western Summit.

121. Grant's Peak and Palisade Rocks, from Western Summit.

122. Palisade Rocks with Road and Teams descending Western Summit.

123. Lakeview Bluff, 350 Feet High, From The Wagon Road

124. Road and Rocks at foot of Crested Peak, Eastern slope of Western Summit.

125. Donner Lake from Summit. Lakeview Bluff on the right.

126 Donner Lake and Eastern Summit, from top of Summit Tunnel, Western Summit.

127. Donner Lake, Eastern Summits 25 Miles Distant

128. Boating Party on Donner Lake

129. Donner Lake, With Crested Peak And Mt. Lincoln In Distance

130. View on Donner Lake. Altitude 5,964 feet.

131. Donner Lake, With Pass In Distance, Altitude Above Lake, 1,126 Feet

132. Donner Lake, Peak and Pass, from Wagon Road.

133 Stumps cut by Donner Party in 1846.

134 Dry Creek Bridge, 17 miles from Sacramento.

135 Locomotive on Trestle, near American River.

136. Train and Curve, Jenny Lind Flat.

137. Bound For The Mountains, 12 Mile Tangent -4 Miles From Sacramento.

138. Freight Depot At Newcastle. Placer County, 31 Miles From Sacramento

139 Locomotive, on Turntable

140 Rocklin Granite Quarry, 22 miles from Sacramento.

141 Tangent below Pino, 23 miles from Sacramento.

142 Antelope Ridge, near New Castle, 20 miles from Sacramento.

143 Griffith's, Granite Station.

144. American River Bridge, 400 feet long.

145. Building Trestle At Newcastle, Placer County

146 Train On Embankment Above Pino, With Hand-Car Near.

147 Train at Griffith's Station, Placer County.

148 View of American River Bridge, near view -3 miles from Sacramento.

149. Colfax, looking West -Illinoistown in dist.

150 Colfax, looking East, Cape Horn 4 miles and Giant's Gap 20 miles distant.

151. Cape Horn, from Ravine below.

153. Hog's Back Cut, 60 feet deep. 2 miles above Alta.

154. American River. From Green Bluffs.

155. View at the Forks of the American River.

156. Prospect Hill Cut, 150 Feet Deep, 74 Feet Wide

157. Railroad West From Fort Point, 76 Miles.

158 Across Blue Canyon, looking East.

159 Blue Canyon Embankment, 75 feet high.

160. Blue Canyon, 79 Miles From Sacramento.

161 Across Blue Canyon, looking West.

162. Lost Camp Spur Cut, 80 miles from Sacramento.

163 Frame for Snow Covering, interior view.

164. Emigrant Gap, Snow Plow And Turntable

165. Emigrant Gap, West From Tunnel

166 Emigrant Gap Tunnel, Wall and Snow Covering.

167. Emigrant Gap, looking East, Yuba Mountains in distance.

168 Bear Valley, 85 miles from Sacramento.

169. Valley North Fork of Yuba, above Emigrant Gap, Old Man Mountain.

170. Cement Ridge -Old Man Mountain in dist.

171 Miller's bluffs, near Crystal Lake, Old Man Mountain in distance.

172. Echo Point, opposite Crystal Lake, looking West.

173 Echo Point and Rattlesnake Mountains.

174. Railroad, Below Cisco And Crystal Lake

175. Foot of black Butte, above Crystal Lake.

176. Black Butte, 91 miles from Sacramento.

177. Crystal Lake and Railroad, from Black Butte.

178. South Yuba Valley And Summit, From Black Butte

179. Old Man Mountain. near Meadow Lake. Altitude 7,500.

180. Meadow Lake, 6,800 Feet Elevation. Knickerbocker Hill And Old Man Mountain.

181. North Fork of South Yuba.

182. "Onenota," at Cisco.

184. Cisco. Rattlesnake and Ragged Mountains.

185. Depots at Cisco.

186 View of the South Yuba, below Cisco

187 Summits of Sierras. 8,000 to 10,000 feet altitude.

188. Castle Peak, a Western Summit, 10,000 feet altitude.

189. Summit of Castle Peak -10,000 feet altitude.

190 Summit of Castle Peak, from the North-west.

191. Summit Valley, From Emigrant Mount. Alt. 8,200 Feet, Looking Toward Cisco

192. Anderson Valley and Devil's Peak, from Emigrant Mountain.

193. Summit Station, Western Summit.

194. Lakes in Anderson Valley, from Lava Bluff.

195. American Peak, In Spring, View Near The Pass, Western Summit.

196. Shaft House over Summit Tunnel -American Peak.

197. Summit Tunnel, Before Completion -Western Summit -Altitude 7,042 Feet

198. East Portal Of Summit Tunnel, Western Summit. Length 1,660 Feet.

199. East Portal of Summit Tunnel, and Wagon Road from Tunnel No.7.

200. Bluff And Snow Bank In Donner Pass. Western Summit, Altitude 1,092 Feet

201 Melting of a Snow Bank, Scene on the Summits in August.

202. East Portals of Tunnels No. 6 and 7, from Tunnel No. 8.

203. Donner Lake and west portals of Tunnels Nos. 7 and 8.

204 Heading of East Portal, Tunnel No. 8, from Donner Lake Railroad...

205. Donner Lake and Crested Peak -Railroad Grade on Pollard's Hill

206. Coldstream Valley, from Tunnel No. 13.

207. Coldstream, Eastern slope of Western Summit.

208. Coldstream Valley, Western Summits Of Sierras

209. Donner Lake from Crested Peak, Alt. 8,500 ft., R.R. 1,000 ft. below -Lake..

210. Loaded Teams from Cisco.

211. West portal Tunnel No. 1 -Grizzly Hill.

212. North Fork of Yuba River, between Cisco and Meadow Lake.

213. Snow Covering, below Cisco.

214. Emigrant Gap Ridge, 84 miles. Old Man Mountain, Red Mouhtain [sic], ...

215. Bear Valley And Yuba Canyon, From Emigrant Gap.

216. View at Shady Run, 73 miles from Sacramento.

217. All Aboard for Virginia City, Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Express.

218. Tunnel No. 3, above Cisco.

220. Scene on the Truckee River, near Donner Lake.

221. Truckee river below Truckee Station, looking west toward Donner Lake.

222. Truckee river below Truckee Station, looking toward Eastern Summit.

223. Truckee River, approaching the Eastern Summits.

224. First Crossing of the Truckee River. 133 miles from Sacramento.

225. Bridge over First Crossing Truckee River, 204 feet long.

226. Interior of Bridge over First Crossing of the Turckee River.

227. Profile Rock, near the First Crossing of the Truckee River.

228. Truckee river entering the Eastern Summits. Tunnel No. 14. 134 miles.

229. American River Bridge. Railroad around Cape Horn, 1,400 feet above.

230. View on the American river, below Cape Horn.

231. Bloomer Cut Near Auburn, 800 Feet Long And 63 Feet High

232. Capitol Granite Quarry at Rocklin, 22 miles from Sacramento.

234. Railroad Wharves at Sacramento City

235. J Street, Sacramento City. View from the Levee.

236. Cathedral Rocks, Truckee River.

237. Crested Peak, From Grant's Butte.

238. Cloud View, Donner Lake.

239 Snow Plow

240 Engine House and Train. Rocklin, 22 miles from Sacramento.

241 Engine House and Turntable. Roclin, 22 miles from Sacramento.

242 West of Clipper Gap. Placer County.

243. Clipper Gap, 43 miles from Sacramento.

244. Cut near New England Mills. 43 miles from Sacramento.

245 Cape Horn, from Ravine below.

246 Constructing Snow Cover. Scene near the Summit.

247 Frame of Snow Covering. 90 miles from Sacramento.

248 Lower Cascade. Near Long Slide Track.

249 Lower Cascade Bridge. Above Cisco.

250. Upper Cascade, 98 miles from Sacramento.

251 Upper Cascade Bridge. Above Cisco.

252 Snow Gallery around Crested Peak. Timbers 12x14 in., 20 in. apart.

253. Crested Peak, From Railroad. Roof Of Snow Gallery.

254 Inside view of Snow Gallery at Summit. Bolting the Frame to the Rocks.

255 From Tunnel No. 10 looking West. Building Great Wall across the Ravine.

256 Crested Peak and Tunnel No. 10. Eastern Slope of Western Summit.

257 Tunnel No. 12. Strong's Canyon.

258 Castle Peak, from Railroad. Above Donner Lake.

259. Coldstream Valley, East of Donner Lake.

260. Mist rising from Donner Lake. Early Morning View.

261. Railroad around Crested Peak. View from foot of Donner Lake.

262 Depot At Truckee. 119 Miles From Sacramento.

263 Scene at Truckee. Nevada County.

264 Truckee River, at Truckee Station. 15 miles from Lake Tahoe.

265. Boca. Crossing of Little Truckee.

266 View of Truckee River. Near Camp 24.

267 View near the State Line. Truckee River.

268 Boundary Peak and Tunnel No. 15. 137 miles from Sacramento.

269 Tunnel No. 15. Looking East, toward Nevada.

270. Tunnel No. 15, Near Camp 24

271 Bridge near State Line. 138 miles from Sacramento.

272. Second Crossing of Truckee River, near Camp 24.

273. Bridge at Eagle Gap, Truckee River.

274 Bridge over Truckee River. Eagle Gap.

275 Eagle Gap. Truckee River.

276. View Near Verdi, Truckee River.

277. Looking toward Verdi. Truckee River, 140 miles from Sacramento.

279 Fourth Crossing of Truckee River. 147 miles from Sacramento.

279a. Forth Crossing Of Truckee River, 147 Miles From Sacramento

280. Granite Quarry, near Reno.

281 Reno and Washoe Range in distance. From Base of Sierra Nevada Mountains.

282 Piute Squaws And Children.

283. Piute Indians. at Reno.

284 Freight Depots at Reno. 154 miles from Sacramento.

285 Scene at Depot. At Reno.

286 Virginia Street, from the Bridge Reno [cut off of mount]

287 Entering Lower Canyon of Truckee River.

288 Looking Across Truckee Meadows, Toward Sierra Nevada Mountains, Near...

289 Truckee Meadows. Sierra Nevada Mountains 20 miles distant.

289(a.). Truckee Meadows, wagons in place of train

290 Truckee Meadows from Camp 37. 162 miles from Sacramento.

291 Scene near Camp 37. Lower Canyon of Truckee.

292 Below Camp 37, Lower Canyon of Truckee.

293. Crossing Of Wagon Road, Lower Cañon Of Truckee

295 Scene on Bank of Truckee River, Lower Canyon of Truckee.

296 Basaltic Rocks. Lower Canyon of Truckee.

297 View from Basaltic Rocks. Looking East.

299[a.] Truckee River And R.R. At Lime Point. Sierra Nevada Mountains...

300 Pleasant Valley, Lower Canyon of Truckee.

301. Pleasant Valley looking West

302 Pleasant Valley, looking East. Lower Canyon of Truckee River.

303. Red Bluffs, looking from the West. Lower Canyon of Truckee River.

304. Looking West From Red Bluffs, Lower Cañon Of Truckee River

305. Red Bluffs, Lower Canyon Of Truckee, 179 Miles From Sacramento

306. Truckee River, Near Wadsworth, Lower Canyon Of Truckee

310. Construction Train On Desert, Near Humboldt Lake

312. Alkali Flat, Construction Train In Distance

313. Chinese Camp, Brown's Station.

314 Brown's Station. 234 miles from Sacramento.

315. Water Train, Opposite Humboldt Lake

315a. Water Train, [near] Humboldt Lake

316 End of Track. Near Humboldt Lake.

317. End Of Track On Humboldt Plains

318 Lower Crossing of Humboldt River. 254 miles from Sacramento.

319 Winnemucca Depot. 334 miles from Sacramento.

320 Winnemucca Town And Peak. 334 Miles From Sacramento.

321 Advance of Civilization. End of Track, near Iron Point.

322. Advance Of Civilization, Scene On The Humboldt Desert

324. Shoshone Indians, Humboldt Plains

326 Argenta Station. At Skull Ranch, 395 miles from Sacramento.

327 Chinese Camp. At end of Track.

328. Powder Bluff, West End Of 10 Mile Canyon

330. Commencement Of A Snow Storm, Scene East Of Second Crossing Of Humboldt

331. Sentinel Rock, Ten Mile Canyon.

332. Team Camp - Evening View, End Of Track

333 Curving Iron. Ten Mile Canyon.

334 Humboldt Gate. Ten Mile Canyon.

336. Entering the Palisades, Ten Mile Canyon.

338. First Construction Train Passing The Palisades, Ten Mile Cañon

339. Alcove In Palisades, Ten Mile Cañon

340. Indian Viewing R.R. From Top Of Palisades. 435 Miles From Sacramento

341. View Across River And Canyon, From Top Of Palisades

342. Shoshone Indians, Ten Mile Cañon

344 Machine Shops at Carlin, 445 miles from Sacramento.

345 Carlin from the Water Tanks, Looking West.

346 Depot at Elko. 468 miles from Sacramento.

347. Elko From The West. 468 Miles From Sacramento

348. WaterTank at Peko

349 (a). Loco Leviathon Near Deeth, Mt. Halleck In Distance [ Variant ]

349. Scene Near Deeth, Mount Halleck In Distance

350. Railroad Camp Near Victory. 10 1/4 Miles Laid In One Day

351. Monument Point From The Lake, 669 Miles From Sacramento

352 Salt Lake from Monument Point. 669 miles from Sacramento.[cut off by mount]

353 Poetry and Prose Scene at Monument Point, North end of Salt Lake.

354. The First Crossing Of The Iron Horse. Promontory Point, May 9th, 1869

355 The Last Rail-The Invocation. Fixing the Wire, May 10th, 1869.

357 The Rival Monarchs. Scene at Promontory Point, May 10th, 1869.

360. The Last Act, 690 Miles From Sacramento, Scene At Promontory Point, May...

361. Looking West From Taylor's Mills, Near Ogden

364. Railroad At Ogden, Wahsatch Range In Distance