21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest The American Experience
Train heads west 2

The early railroad was seen by the native Americans as a burden that divided lands, disturbed hunting grounds, and contributed to the influx of uninvited settlers. The settlers, on the other hand, saw the railroad as a lifeline, bringing in much needed supplies to support the sprouting of a new nation. In the end, they were both right. This photo shows the intrusion of the mechanical into the vastness of nature.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 11.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Na, United States Minor Outlying Islands
Camera: ILCE-7M3
Copyright: © Luke Besmer