Golden Spike

Another drive and visit to a National Historic Site.  Aunt Coleen had mentioned it to us when she visited in May.  We have seen the sign fromt he freeway and today, we made it there.

From where welive, it is just about an hour drive - and not hard to find. 

It is off the beaten path, needless to say, in Promontory Summit, UT - 32 miles west of Brigham City.  There is not much left of what was there as a make shift town for the railroad workers - but the national historic site is there with its small but interesting Visitor's Center and the reenactment volunteers.

The Visitor's Center has a 20 minute movie for all - it tells about the story of how the transnational railroad was built: the blood, sweat and all it took to built it.

In a competition to make the railroad built: Central Pacific from Sacramento, and Union Pacific from Omaha, the workers toiled through snow, flood, and mountains in shifts.  The Central Pacific workers laid 10 miles of track in one day in April 28, 1869 through the Nevada desert - longest stretch of railroad tracks laid then.

On May 10, 1869, Central Pacific and Union Pacific trains: Jupiter and 119 met up at Promontory Summit, UT.  This occassion is reenacted at the historic site.

Jupiter train (replica of the original) of the Union Pacific.

119 of Union Pacific is coming to meet up with Jupiter.

The reenactment involved volunteers and audience to display the events took place on that day when the last spike (iron) was placed - along with the ceremonial golden spike.

The 119.

The two trains and the volunteers, rangers, and visitors.

On the way home, we stopped to check out the sign indicating to where the Rocket Display was.  So, this is what we saw displayed.

ATK is a Utah company that builds rocket parts for NASA.  They have an interesting display outside in the middle of absolutely nowhere and there is not much in a way of signs to point people that way - until you are on your way to the Golden Spike.

Hey, I do look pretty small... :-)  Haven't felt that way for a while.

Then, a surprising find on the ground - a pair of kid boots with a wire in it... wonder what the wires are for - seemed like fornoise or light - but I wasn't going to risk trying to figure it out...

We drove Junior's car - and it has one THOUSAND miles on it now...

Interesting drive with plenty to see.  It has been a good day.