Jarrett & Palmer's Special Fast Trans-Continental Train Tickets, United States, 1876

1876

The Special Fast Trans-Continental, also known as the “Lightning Express,” was a publicity stunt organized by the well-known theater managers Jarrett & Palmer of Booth Theatre in June 1876. To transport the company from New York to San Francisco for a performance of Shakespeare’s Henry V in San Francisco, Henry C. Jarrett chartered a train with a goal of crossing the country in record time. Traveling at an average speed of forty miles per hour, the train’s progress garnered breathless news attention, even being dubbed “the greatest feat in history.” Passenger trains normally took around a week to traverse the United States. The Lightning Express’s safe arrival in San Francisco after a mere 84 hours helped to promote the feasibility of transcontinental train travel. The beautifully-designed tickets for the trip came in decorative silver cases.