The meeting of the lines.
The Last Spike, also known as the Gold Spike, was the final link in the forming of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. It was tapped into a prepared hole by Leland Stanford on May 10, 1869, at a ceremony joining the Central Pacific and Union Pacific rails. Governor Stanford drove the Last Spike into a polished California laurel tie before an audience of some 3,000 government and railroad officials and track workers in the desert at Promontory, Utah.
The spike was the inspiration of David Hewes, prominent building contractor and financier of San Francisco and the brother-in-law of Mrs. Stanford. Immediately after the ceremony, the spike and laurel tie were withdrawn and an iron spike and regular tie substituted. Mr. Stanford presented the Last Spike to Mr. Hewes, who in turn presented it to the Stanford Museum in 1892.
Resembling an ordinary railroad spike in size and design, the Last Spike was manufactured by the William T. Garrett Foundry of San Francisco in 1869. The spike is 17.6 carat gold, alloyed with copper, and weighs 14.03 troy ounces. Clearly visible on its head are the dents made by Governor Stanford when he tapped it with a silver hammer. It is engraved on the top and on all four sides. On the head are the words "The Last Spike;" on side one: "The Pacific Railroad ground broken Jany. 8th 1863, and completed may 8th 1869" (the ceremony was to take place on May 8th but was delayed by adverse weather and labor problems that held up the Union Pacific delegation); on side two: "Directors of the C. P. R. R. of Cal. Hon. Leland Stanford. C. P. Huntington. E. B. Crocker. Mark Hopkins. A. P. Stanford. E. H. Miller Jr.;" on side three: "Officers. Hon. Leland Stanford. Presdt. C. P. Huntington Vice Presdt. E. B. Crocker. Atty. Mark Hopkins. Tresr. Chas Crocker Gen. Supdt. E. H. Miller Jr. Secty. S. S. Montague. Chief Engr.;" and on side four: "May God continue the unity of our Country, as the Railroad unites the two great Oceans of the world. Presented by David Hewes San Francisco."
Two other spikes were used at the last spike ceremony, another gold spike donated by Frank Marriott, owner of the San Francisco Newsletter , and a composite spike of gold, silver and iron - a gift from the Arizona Territory
With the locomotives drawn so near, the crowd pressed so closely around Stanford and the other railroad officials that the ceremony became somewhat disorganized, leading to varying accounts of the actual events. Contrary to the myth that the Central Pacific's Chinese laborers were specifically excluded from the festivities, A.J. Russell stereoview #539 shows the "Chinese at Laying Last Rail UPRR." (Eight Chinese laid the last rail, and three of these men, Ging Cui, Wong Fook, and Lee Shao, lived long enough to also participate in the 50th anniversary parade. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Chinese participating were honored and cheered by the CPRR officials.) To drive the final spike, Stanford lifted a silver spike maul and drove the spike into the tie, completing the line.
Immediately afterward, the golden spike and the laurel tie were removed and replaced with a regular iron spike and normal tie. At exactly 12:47 p.m., the last iron spike was driven, finally completing the line. Stanford and Hewes missed the spike, but the single word "done" was nevertheless flashed by telegraph around the country. In the United States, the event has come to be considered one of the first nationwide media events.
After the ceremony, the Golden Spike was donated to the Stanford
Museum (now Cantor
Arts Center) in 1898.
The last laurel tie was destroyed in the fires caused by the 1906
San Francisco earthquake.