Four rare and important items relating to the early days of the transcontinental railroad. The earliest is a handsomely engraved invitation from the Union Pacific Railway Company Eastern Division for the opening of the "First Section of Forty Miles of their Road West from the Missouri River," 8.25 x 5.75, with reverse annotated by Eugene Field II, who states that the "invitation card, came from the library of my father." Second is a scarce 244-page edition of the Great Trans-Continental Railroad Guide, softcover, published by Chicago's Crofutt & Eaton in 1870, featuring descriptions of 500 cities, towns, villages, stations, government forts and camps, as well as "where to look for and hunt the Buffalo, Antelope, Deer and other game." Removed from the book is its detailed, highly displayable dual-sided timetable chart for December 5-6, 1869, measuring 6.5 x 24.75 unfolded, showing towns, stations, and times for the Union Pacific Rail Road and the Central Pacific Rail Road. Last is a gorgeous and very rare lithographed German map displaying the entirety of the "Pacific Railway," printed by Eduard Heinrich Mayer in 1870, and neatly cloth-matted and framed to an overall size of 33.5 x 12.5. In overall very good to fine condition, with heavy wear to the guide booklet, with back cover no longer present. Accompanied by a color reproduction poster announcing the opening of the Union Pacific Rail Road.
