East Met West at Promontory Point - Utah

Last weekend we took a day trip from Hill AFB near Ogden, Utah to Promontory Point.  Over the last four years of our Roadrunner adventure, I have been struck by the influence and impact of the railroads upon our United States.

In 1869 at a then-unknown place upon the high desert in the wide open prairie - East met West and our country was joined together by the railroad.  It changed everything.  What had taken six months by ox and mule, now only took six days by rail.

Troops and settlers sped west populating the country side which belonged to the Indians and buffalo.  Trade and cities sprang up and expanded commerce and the push for Manifest Destiny.  The wealth of ore and minerals and hides and fur moved East.  And the West became our Territories and States.

The idea to connect the country from coast to coast was first proposed in 1832.  Thirty-seven years later it happened when the locomotives of the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific met nose to nose at Promontory Point.

We drove out to the Promontory Point Historical Center, leaving in the middle of the morning and arriving a little after 11:00.  It was fairly easy to find and a nice drive out there, though a little drizzly at times.

It was definitely 'out there'.  Like the middle of no where.

As we approached the turnoff and the last mile or so over to the Visitor Center, we were very surprised.  There must have been a hundred people doing the same thing we were!

For a few minutes it was crowded at this little outpost.  Near the entrance is a historical marker commemorating the Golden Spike, which was ceremoniously driven in, completing the coast-to-coast railroad.

And there was a lot going on.  The Visitor Center had a historical video running, and there the museum had some interesting artifacts.

We learned the workforce from the Central Pacific which left Sacramento was comprised in a large part of over 10,000 Chinese.  The Union Pacific left Omaha and had a mix of American unemployed along with Italian, Irish and German workers.

The Central Pacific's Jupiter and the Union Pacific's No. 119 met at Promontory Point on May 10, 1869.  Replica's of the two locomotives are the central attraction.

We were able to climb the stands and peer over into the engine and coal room of each one.

Then we gathered for festivities.  

The park ranger talked about the locomotives while they went through some drills.

 Both locomotives were fired up and went up and down the track.  Quite impressive!

We as the Jupiter was loaded with wood and No. 119 was loaded with coal.  They got the fires burning and away they went.    Then they returned to their resting place and went through a re-enactment of the ceremonies that happened in 1869.

Quite a few showed up in costume.

And the ceremonies centered around driving the Golden Spike signaling the completion of the railroad.
You can the railroad tie on the tracks

And there is another display inside in the museum

Engraving on the Golden Spike reads:

May God continue the Unity of our Country as this 

Railroad unites the two great Oceans of the World.

Together, the Central Pacific and Union Pacific, laid over 1,776 miles of track through mountains, desert  and prairie.  It was quite a feat.

Thanks for joining us today on the Roadrunner Chronicles!  And thanks for those comments - we appreciate them.  Until next time...