America's 19th century is marked with nationwide changes, including territorial expansion west of the Mississippi River, the devastating Civil War, sweeping industrialization advances and the completion of the nation's transcontinental railway. The Golden Spike National Historic Site, at Promontory Point, Utah, is the area were the Union Pacific and Central Pacific lines were joined. The railways were constructed by Central Railroad and Union Pacific Corporations, receiving huge land grants and generous governmental loans for the project.
Pictured here are brightly colored, replica locomotives, Jupiter and Number 119, that met for the Last Spike ceremony. In addition to the locomotives on site, the Golden Spike Site has preserved original railway bed rock cuts, wooden trestles, abutments and culverts. Those expecting to see the golden spike may be disappointed as the ceremonial spike was donated to the Stanford University Art Museum in Palo Alto, California. The Utah Heritage foundation formally recognized this site in 2002.