Last Spike Driven: America Connects Coast to Coast
Laborers from the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads met at Promontory Summit, Utah, where Leland Stanford drove a golden spike to join the rails on May 10, 1869. Telegraph operators transmitted the ceremonial hammer strokes as clicks across the nation, followed by the message "DONE" that triggered immediate coast-to-coast celebration. This completion slashed travel time from six months or more down to just one week, fundamentally transforming American commerce and settlement.
May 10, 1869
157 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on May 10
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