National Archives
The final spike for the transcontinental railroad was driven on May 10, 1869, at Promontory Point, Utah. A ceremonial golden spike was tapped into a hole which had been drilled to receive it, and photographer Andrew J. Russell recorded the scene.
As the Union Pacific tracks had stretched westward, the tracks of the Central Pacific headed east from California. When the tracks were finally connected the news went out by telegraph and the entire nation celebrated. Cannon were fired in San Francisco and all the fire bells in the city were rung. There were similar noisy celebrations in Washington, DC, New York City, and other cities, towns and villages across America.
A dispatch in the New York Times two days later reported that a shipment of tea from Japan was going to be shipped from San Francisco to St. Louis.
With steam locomotives able to roll from ocean to ocean, the world suddenly seemed to be getting smaller.
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