Today, one can fly from one of the New York City-area airports to an airport in the San Francisco Bay area (a distance of nearly 2,600 miles) in less than seven hours. But that’s now; back then…
Traveling cross-country (1840-1870)
A trip by wagon train would take four to five and one-half months, depending on the size of the wagon train, which particular route was taken, weather conditions and other variables. Travel by stagecoach was much shorter; usually only about four weeks. A trip by...