Joining the Tracks for the First Transcontinental Railroad
1869
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The Transcontinental Railroad was completed on May 10, 1869, when four ceremonial gold and silver spikes were driven into a laurel wood railroad tie at Promontory Summit, northwest of Salt Lake City, Utah. This act joined 1,776 miles of rail belonging to the Union and Central Pacific railroads. The Union Pacific’s engine, 119, is on the left; the Central Pacific’s Jupiter is on the right. The ceremonial spikes and tie were removed and replaced with iron and pine.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Bureau of Public Roads.
National Archives Identifier: 513341
Full Citation: Photograph 30-N-36-2994; Joining the Tracks for the First Transcontinental Railroad, Promontory, Utah, Terr., 1869; 1869; Historical Photograph Files, 1896 - 1963; Records of the Bureau of Public Roads, Record Group 30; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/joining-tracks, October 13, 2024]Activities that use this document
- The Settlement of the American West
Created by the National Archives Education Team
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