However, most of the transcontinental route didn’t exceed 1.2%. 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). This trail, like the other trails at the park, is on the historic railroad grade (the place they built the tracks on).

However, he said I could walk it, and that’s what I did. 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. The West Auto Tour has been closed for several months due to part of the grade being washed out. There are two auto tour trails and a short hiking trail. After exploring these and going out to explore the locomotive up-close, I went on a couple of trails. The visitor center has some great displays too about railroad life and history. And, in San Francisco, a banner was unfurled declaring that “California annexes the United States.” In Chicago and many other cities, parades began including one seven miles in length. In Philadelphia the Liberty Bell was gingerly rung. In Washington, D.C., a ball was dropped inside the capitol rotunda (like the Times Square NYE ball drop) triggered by the signal. Third, this was essentially the first live event that enthralled the entire nation just as watching the moon landing did 100 years later.Īfter the final spike was driven and that message sent across the nation, celebrations broke out everywhere.This is why there were three dots before the final DONE was sent. Second, the telegraph operator rigged the spike and hammer so that when they connected it would send a signal.So, for the line to be clear for a long ceremony shows the importance of the moment. First, the telegraph was the only means of communicating cross-country and was usually busy with messages going both ways on the wire.The line was silent throughout the country as the nation literally listened to the final spike be driven. Most amazing about that day is that people across the nation were waiting for the announcement over the telegraph. 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. They explained the four ceremonial spikes, about those participating, and the significance of the moment.įor the reenactment they had some audience members participate. Due to the rain, this was held in the visitor center’s auditorium.Ī 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.

Just after it was in place on the west side of the ceremonial railroad tie, a reenactment of the final spike ceremony took place. It blew its whistle and rang the bell to the childlike glee of all in attendance. I watched in wonder with many others while steam puffed out of this historic machine as it chugged down the track. They still brought one of the replica locomotives out, and it was my favorite of the two-Central Pacific’s Jupiter. My visit to this fascinating place coincided with a very blustery wet day. The story of that day and what it took to get there is shared at Golden Spike National Historic Site. Hailed as the greatest engineering feat of the 19 th 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.

Golden spike horse trials 2021