Map of the Route of the Southern Continental R. R., Showing the Recent Surveys of the Kansas Pacific Railway Co. across the Continent (1867–68)

Cartographer: Compiled under the direction of Gen. William J. Palmer, Chief of Surveys, Kansas Pacific Railway Company

Year: 1868

Intended to promote a low-latitude rival to the newly opened Union Pacific line, this map traces Palmer’s 1867–68 survey from Kansas City and Fort Smith to the Pacific via Albuquerque, the Gila River, and San Diego. A bold line marks the proposed main track, while lighter spurs indicate feeder routes linking south-central Colorado mines and the Texas frontier. Hachures render the continental divide and desert ranges the railroad would have to conquer, and a one-degree grid helps investors gauge grades and distances. River crossings, military forts, and stage stations pepper the route, underscoring its strategic value for freight and troop movement. By contrasting the “Southern Continental” path with existing eastern railheads, the sheet makes a business case for federal land grants and bonds to fund the Kansas Pacific’s southwestern extension.