Gulf, Colorado and Sante Fe Railway Co. - 1944 dated Texas Railroad Stock Certificate

Stock with great train vignette and declaration of interest papers attached with red 50 cent and green 30 cent revenue stamps! Galveston, Texas. 

Chartered on May 28, 1873, by Galveston merchants, the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railway (GC&SF) was established to provide direct rail connections to the Texas interior from Galveston, bypassing Houston. This independence was sought by Galveston leaders to avoid frequent trade embargoes and quarantines imposed by Houston during yellow fever outbreaks, which they believed were often used to stifle their commercial competition. Despite initial financial challenges and a brief foreclosure in 1879, the railroad successfully expanded from Galveston to major junctions like Temple, Cleburne, and Fort Worth. Eventually, it captured a significant portion of the profitable Texas cotton trade for Galveston’s port.

In 1886, the GC&SF was acquired by the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway (AT&SF) in exchange for $8 million in stock. This acquisition provided the larger company with a crucial link to the Gulf of Mexico. Due to Texas state laws requiring railroads to be headquartered within the state, the GC&SF continued to operate as a semi-independent subsidiary for nearly 80 years. During this period, it expanded its reach into East Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. The subsidiary eventually founded several Texas towns, including Temple and Sealy, and introduced the renowned Harvey House restaurants to its stations. In 1965, following the nullification of the state residency requirement, the GC&SF was formally absorbed into the AT&SF. Today, its remaining tracks are part of the BNSF Railway system.