Today we traveled to the Golden Spike National Historic Site near Promitory Summit, Utah to see how the amazing story of the race to build the first transcontinental railroad unfolded. 

American's first railroads had been operating since the 1830's, and some people soon had visions of transcontinetal travel by rail.  By the beginning of the Civil War the eastern US was linked by 31,000 miles of rail....but none ran beyond the Missouri River. A continent-spanning railroad would also bring many benefits:  It would boost trade, shorten emigrants' journey, and help the army control American Indians resisting white settlement. Surveying was started in 1862 by an engineer hired by the Central Pacific Railroad.  That year Congress authorized Central Pacific to build a railroad eastward from Sacramento and chartered the Union Pacific Railroad in New York to build a railroad westward from Omaha, Nebraska. Greed drove both companies to push forward and complete the first transcontinental railroad for America.  The Central Pacific, had to tunnel, fill and bridge the most rugged Sierra Nevada range and completed 690 miles of rail with the amazing help of the Chinese imigrant workers.  The Union Pacific completed 1,086 miles of track, with the help of Irish imigrants.  Together  they had successfully crossed 1,776 miles of desert, rivers, and mountains to bind together East and West.

Here's our account of the reenactment we witnessed today, May 10, 1869.

Plaque on the laurel tie

Ceremonial Laurel tie with plaque

The Jupiter from the Centraol Pacific (note the 20 star American flag...what's wrong with that?)

Replica of the original Jupiter,(even the paint is correct)

Master of Ceremonies for the "Golden Spike" ceremony

Union Pacific's 119 pulls up to the ceremony

The telegraph operator clears the lines to major cities across the nation to report the final spike.

Union Pacific Engineer & crew await the final spike drive.

Introductions of the ceremonial spike presenters

Not one, but two golden spikes presented by California.

Nevada governor candidate presents a silver spike

Arizona territory presents a silver over iron spike
with Gold on the top

Ceremonial spikes are placed in the laurel tie.

Central Pacific President Leland Stanford orates.

A sliver platted hammer is presented for the ceremony.

Union Pacific's Thomas Durant, attempts to drive the spike.

A REAL railroad man, drives the FINAL spike to complete the
first transcontinental railroad.

Telegrapher sends President Grant the message....D-O-N-E



The transcontinental railroad becomes the Union Pacific Railroad
from Omaha Nebraska to Sacramento, California!



Original rail section (2,500 ties were placed per mile!)

The evolution of rails, from the 1830's to 1995.

Every inch of creating the rail base was done manually.
This is a mule drawn shovel used to haul dirt & rock over the 1,776 miles of base.

The Chinese imigrants were amazingly dedicated & hard workers for
the Central Pacific.  This is a plaque to acknowlege the laying
of 10 miles  (&56 feet) of track on ONE day!

This plaque was placed here t the Centennial of
the Golden Spike placement.