6,000 Miles Through Wonderland…Being a Description of the Marvelous Region Traversed by the Northern Pacific Railroad.

…Being a Description of the Marvelous Region Traversed by the Northern Pacific Railroad.

“In so far as scenery alone is concerned the evidence is beyond dispute that this country can match anything that the old country has to show, and in many cases so far excel it that comparison is out of the question. It is time lost and money thrown away to go from here there [sic] to see fine scenery alone. We have more of it than they.”

This bold statement in the preface of ‘6,000 Miles Through Wonderland’ outlines the arguments of the contents quite clearly – the natural beauty accessible along the lines of the Northern Pacific Railroad is unparalleled in the world. It’s 106 pages and use a variety of persuasive text, incredible photographs, illustrated scenes, and numerous maps to convey the message. Accessible regions described in some detail include the gold fields of Alaska, the lakes of Minnesota, magnificent Yellowstone, the agricultural breadth of the Great Plains, and the breathtaking landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.

Views of a Northern Pacific sleeping car and dining car, as well as scenes featuring several grand hotels, emphasize the luxurious accommodations available for affluent travelers. Maps show an outline of Yellowstone National Park, a bird’s eye view of Duluth, and a simple black and white map of the Northern Pacific Lines running across upper America, west of Chicago.

The booklet was written by Olin Wheeler and copywritten in 1893 by Charles Fee, Passenger Agent for the Northern Pacific in St. Paul. It was published by Rand McNally in Chicago, possibly for distribution at the Columbian Exposition held in the city that same year.