Trivia

As a result of attacks by Native Americans, the US Army had to accompany the mobile "town" that followed the railroad crews as the Union Pacific moved west. These towns were mostly tents and wagons and not only consisted of the railroad workers, but entrepreneurs who provided services to the workers such as gambling and prostitution. "Hell on Wheels" was the actual name of the mobile tent community at that time. It was originally coined by the newspaper editor of the Springfield Republican newspaper and the name stuck. See more