Great Northern Railway (U.S.)

The Great Northern Railway was an American railroad company established in 1890 by James J. Hill to connect Minnesota and North Dakota to the Pacific Northwest, primarily serving passenger and freight transportation. It was unique because it was the only major transcontinental railway built without government subsidies, relying on its own financing. The railway played a vital role in opening up the northern United States for settlement, trade, and industry, contributing significantly to regional development. In 1929, it merged with other systems to form the Great Northern Pacific Railway, continuing to operate as a key corridor in the U.S. transportation network.