jan 1, 1862 - Pacific Railway Act of 1862 - allows the Union Pacific & Central Pacific railroads to oversee the construction of the transcontinental railroad * to offset the cost of construction, the goct gives the companies 10 (later 20) sections of land for each mile of track built [1 section = 1 mi^2)
Added to timeline:
Date:
jan 1, 1862
Now
~ 164 years ago