Inscription
Golden Spike National Historic Site
An Icon RestoredIn 1965, the National Park Service assumed ownership of the aging monument, which had been damaged by years of weathering and vandalism. The interior had also been severely damaged by ground water that had wicked up into the monument through its buried base. Early restoration attempts unintentionally contributed to the damage by using materials that did not allow for evaporation of water trapped inside the monument. Based on state of the art technology, the National Park Service began a new repair process in 2001. Restoration and preservation steps included:
- Removing the concrete monument from the ground to prevent further moisture absorption and allowing it to dry
- Transferring the monument to its present location
- Replacing old stucco, paint, and patches with a new, breathable masonry coating
- Protecting the monument through regularly scheduled maintenance
Significance of the Monument
In 1916, the Southern Pacific Railroad (formerly the Central Pacific Railroad) placed the monument near the site where the nation's first transcontinental railroad was completed. For decades, it stood there, a lonely reminder of the driving of the last spike on May 10, 1869 at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory. Today, the handsomely restored monument remains an icon of westward expansion, the settlement of northern Utah and commemorates an historic event that transformed America.
Details
| HM Number | HM19NK |
|---|---|
| Series | This marker is part of the Transcontinental Railroad series |
| Tags | |
| Placed By | National Park Service |
| Marker Condition | No reports yet |
| Date Added | Friday, October 10th, 2014 at 1:18pm PDT -07:00 |
Pictures
Photo Credits: [1] HALDVORIN
Locationbig map
| UTM (WGS84 Datum) | 12T E 370789 N 4608448 |
|---|---|
| Decimal Degrees | 41.61730000, -112.55090000 |
| Degrees and Decimal Minutes | N 41° 37.038', W 112° 33.054' |
| Degrees, Minutes and Seconds | 41° 37' 2.28" N, 112° 33' 3.24" W |
| Driving Directions | Google Maps |
| Area Code(s) | 435 |
| Closest Postal Address | At or near 1019 22000 W Rd, Corinne UT 84307, US |
| Alternative Maps | Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap |
Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.
Nearby Markersshow on map
Maintenance Issues
- What historical period does the marker represent?
- What historical place does the marker represent?
- What type of marker is it?
- What class is the marker?
- What style is the marker?
- Does the marker have a number?
- What year was the marker erected?
- This marker could use another picture or two.
- Can this marker be seen from the road?
- Is the marker in the median?
Comments 0 comments