Hell on Wheels: The Building of the Transcontinental Railroad
Monday, October 5, 2026 at 8:00 PM · Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at FAU, Jupiter
Step back into 1869 with historian and storyteller Robert Feeney, who brings history to life in full period attire as he recounts America’s most ambitious engineering achievement: the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. Explore the high-stakes “Great Race” between the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads as workers battled unforgiving deserts, towering mountains, and extreme conditions. Discover the grueling lives of the Chinese and Irish laborers who helped build the railroad and the lawless “Hell on Wheels” towns that followed the tracks, filled with gambling, grit, and vice. From dangerous work camps to the triumphant driving of the Golden Spike, this immersive presentation offers a vivid look at the railroad that helped connect a divided nation. Attendees will also have the rare opportunity to view authentic original railroad artifacts.
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