Hailed as the greatest engineering feat of the 19th century and a bandage on a broken nation, the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, is one of the more important events in U.S. history. The story of that day and what it took to get there is shared at Golden Spike National Historic Site.
My visit to this fascinating place coincided with a very blustery wet day. That didn’t ruin it though. They still brought one of the replica locomotives out, and it was my favorite of the two—Central Pacific’s Jupiter.
I watched in wonder with many others while steam puffed out of this historic machine as it chugged down the track. It blew its whistle and rang the bell to the childlike glee of all in attendance.
Just after it was in place on the west side of the ceremonial railroad tie, a reenactment of the final spike ceremony took place. Due to the rain, this was held in the visitor center’s auditorium.
A troupe of costumed historical interpreters led us through that exciting moment, not just saying the words spoken but also telling the story of this momentous occasion. They explained the four ceremonial spikes, about those participating, and the significance of the moment.
For the reenactment they had some audience members participate. I was called upon to be the worker (Chinaman) who drove the final spike since the railroads’ officials were too drunk to connect the hammer to the spike at that point.
Most amazing about that day is that people across the nation were waiting for the announcement over the telegraph. The line was silent throughout the country as the nation literally listened to the final spike be driven. This is astounding for a few reasons.
- First, the telegraph was the only means of communicating cross-country and was usually busy with messages going both ways on the wire. So, for the line to be clear for a long ceremony shows the importance of the moment.
- Second, the telegraph operator rigged the spike and hammer so that when they connected it would send a signal. This is why there were three dots before the final DONE was sent.
- Third, this was essentially the first live event that enthralled the entire nation just as watching the moon landing did 100 years later.
After the final spike was driven and that message sent across the nation, celebrations broke out everywhere. In Washington, D.C., a ball was dropped inside the capitol rotunda (like the Times Square NYE ball drop) triggered by the signal. In Philadelphia the Liberty Bell was gingerly rung. In Chicago and many other cities, parades began including one seven miles in length. And, in San Francisco, a banner was unfurled declaring that “California annexes the United States.”
The visitor center has some great displays too about railroad life and history. After exploring these and going out to explore the locomotive up-close, I went on a couple of trails. There are two auto tour trails and a short hiking trail. The West Auto Tour has been closed for several months due to part of the grade being washed out. The East Auto Tour is open, but due to the constant rain the whole week before and that morning, the ranger recommended not driving it. However, he said I could walk it, and that’s what I did.
East Auto Tour
This trail, like the other trails at the park, is on the historic railroad grade (the place they built the tracks on). This makes the hike even more interesting and relatively easy since law required the grade not be steeper than 2.2% (not rising more than 2.2 feet over a 100 foot distance). However, most of the transcontinental route didn’t exceed 1.2%. This is why they had to cut through hills and mountains, create fills through valleys in between hills, and twist and curve instead of go straight.
The auto tour follows the Central Pacific’s grade, which actually runs side-by-side with the Union Pacific’s because for 250 miles the two railroads ran parallel since they were being paid for grade prepared not track laid and the official meeting place had not be decided yet. An end was put to this when Congress declared Promontory Summit as the place to connect.
Along the trail are various markers that accompany a brochure to tell you what you’re seeing. I didn’t have the brochure and was walking it in the rain, so I wasn’t too concerned about knowing everything along the way.
My main desire to take this trail, even in the rain, was to see a natural limestone formation called the Chinese Arch. Though naturally forming, its name was given as a memorial to the thousands of Chinese workers who helped complete this monumental achievement of connecting sea to shining sea.
Another highlight of this trail is a spur that takes visitors to the final cut of the process. It is a deep narrow trench with mounds of rock on piled next to it. This and much of the work completed in Utah was done by Mormon workers because Brigham Young wanted to complete the railroad. This was a big enough deal that my great, great, great grandfather in the Manti area noted it in his journal with: “Brigham Young took a large contract for the railroad company.” Young sent many people to help pausing or slowing work on the Salt Lake Temple for a short time knowing it would help people get to Utah and help with all other endeavors in the territory including the completion of the temple.
I enjoyed this walk, even in the rain. It is normally an auto tour. I didn’t have any cars on the trail with me and had to walk an additional mile to get back to my car in another trailhead parking lot, and it was worth the walk in the rain. I don’t know why they don’t just turn the trail into a hike instead of an auto tour.
Big Fill Trail
The only real hiking trail is a mile and a half loop that takes you to one of the most impressive engineering feats of the transcontinental job—the big fill. It is the widest expanse the companies had to fill along one of the steepest grades they built on the more than 1,700 mile route.
You go out on the Central Pacific’s grade ending at the Big Fill—considered one of the more impressive construction feats of American railroading history. Then you take a little jaunt to the Union Pacific’s grade to head back. The UP didn’t have a fill across this expanse but rather a big trestle. A reporter described this structure that “… will shake the nerves of the stoutest hearts of railroad travelers when they see what a few feet of round timbers and seven-inch spikes are expected to uphold—a train in motion.”
Along this trail, the markers highlight drilling marks, a derailing that spilled oranges down a hill, a false cut and more. To get the most out of the trail, borrow or purchase the trail guide at the trailhead. I did. It is amazing to walk these historic paths even in the rain.
