His gold “Last Spike” was engraved with the inscription, “May God continue the unity of our Country as this Railroad unites the two great Oceans of the world.”
How much is the golden spike worth?
The spike was 5 5/8 inches long, weighed 14.03 ounces and was made of 17.6 carat gold. Only about $350 worth of gold , however, was used to make the actual spike. The remainder was left attached to the spike in a large sprue. After casting, the golden spike was engraved on all four sides and the top.
What was the golden spike and what was engraved on it?
And the world-famous Golden Spike (aka the Last Spike ), which is engraved on all four sides — the names of various dignitaries on two sides; “May God continue the unity of our Country, as this Railroad unites the two great Oceans of the world” on another; and “The Pacific Railroad ground broken January 8, 1863, and ...
Does the golden spike still exist?
The spike is now displayed in the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University .
Where is the real golden spike located?
Where is the “real” golden spike? It is located in Palo Alto, California . Leland Stanford’s brother-in-law, David Hewes, had the spike commissioned for the Last Spike ceremony.
Who nailed the Golden Spike?
In an early example of a staged media event, two locomotives sat a mere rail tie apart from each other as crowds of people looked on. Railroad financier and former California Governor Leland Stanford drove a single golden spike into the final tie with a silver hammer.
What did the Golden Spike say?
David Hewes, a friend of Stanford, commissioned one spike out of 14 ounces of 17-karat gold. His gold “Last Spike” was engraved with the inscription, “ May God continue the unity of our Country as this Railroad unites the two great Oceans of the world.”
Is it illegal to own railroad spikes?
Since it’s illegal to be on the tracks – CP/CN could charge you with trespassing for being on the tracks so it’s pretty much a certainty that it’s illegal to take spikes too. You could always try and contact a local CP shop to see if they would give you some.
Does transcontinental railroad still exist?
The original Transcontinental Railroad route was the combined efforts of two railroads: the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific. By 2019, 150 years after joining their rails at Promontory Summit, Utah, only the Union Pacific remains .
How can you tell how old a railroad spike is?
look at the track and see if there are date nails , if so this will help you identify the age. if you cant find anything you might want to try and research the railroad starting with topographical maps for the area and see what railroad it was, and find out when it was built and go from there.
Who won the race to finish the transcontinental railroad?
By March 4, 1869, when Ulysses S. Grant took office as President, it had turned over $1.4 million to Huntington. When the Warren Commission reached Utah, it found that the Union Pacific was almost to Ogden and had obviously won the race.
What happened to the original transcontinental railroad?
The tracks were abandoned in 1942 as the rails were needed to support the war effort during World War II; specifically, most of the track and hardware were relocated to military bases on the Pacific Coast. ... Between Promontory and Rozel, a record 10 miles of track was laid on April 28, 1868.
Who drove the golden spike in the transcontinental railroad?
One hundred and fifty years ago on May 10, 1869, university founder Leland Stanford drove the last spike that marked the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad.
Why was the Golden Spike important?
Otherwise known as the Golden Spike Ceremony, this historic event not only celebrates the completion of the first transcontinental railroad, named the Pacific Railroad , but it also recognizes the significance of the immigrant workforce that helped the nation accomplish what many believed was impossible.
What was one benefit of the transcontinental railroad?
It made commerce possible on a vast scale.
In addition to transporting western food crops and raw materials to East Coast markets and manufactured goods from East Coast cities to the West Coast, the railroad also facilitated international trade.
