This online research compilation is a part of the Library of Congress’s American Memory collection and presents pictorial and textual materials illustrating major themes in the history of maritime westward expansion. Some of these themes include the California Gold Rush, the roles of women, the immigrant experience, whaling life, life at sea, shipping, and native populations. Covering a wide geographical area including California, Texas, Hawaii, and the Pacific Northwest, the materials are drawn from the Mystic Seaport Museum and the G.W. Blunt White Library. The collection is comprised of ships' logbooks and secondary sources, such as nineteenth-century published narratives of voyages and travels, photographs, paintings, maps, and nautical charts. This collection provides "a rich look at the events, culture, beliefs, and personal experiences associated with westward expansion from the maritime perspective." The site can be searched by keyword or browsed by subject, name, or title.