Across the Continent [Board Game]

The United States Game’

“THIS GAME COMBINES AMUSEMENT AND INSTRUCTION IN A SIMPLE AND MOST ATTRACTIVE FORM, AND IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE BEST OF THE PARKER GAMES.” — Rulebook.

Parker Brothers’ influential board game, Across the Continent, was first patented and publicly released in 1892. It was immensely popular, resulting in numerous updated versions and laying the groundwork for subsequent games like Rail Baron and Ticket to Ride. Two or more players traverse the United States in an attempt to visit various destinations indicated by drawn cards. The first player to reach their location and return to the point of departure is declared the winner.

A brightly colored game board features pictorial relief and numerous illustrated vignettes, capturing the “essence” of America from coast to coast. Agricultural production, major industries, and commercial enterprise are celebrated, but the visible disparity between the North and South (note the people occupying the fields) is evident.

This particular example presents an intriguing cataloging challenge. It features a game board that appears to have been released around the turn of the century—lacking the 1901 incorporation of Parker Brothers and failing to note offices in New York or London. However, the box appears to be from a later mid-century iteration (featuring a Ford Trimotor) and includes plastic dice tumblers that were not introduced until after World War II, making it a compelling composite example of the game’s long publication history.