Transcontinental Railroad is Completed
May 10, 1869 · 19th Century
On May 10, 1869, the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads met at Promontory Summit, Utah, joining 1,776 miles of track. The Union Pacific built westward from Omaha, Nebraska, while the Central Pacific laid track eastward from Sacramento, California, through the Sierra Nevada. Over 13,000 Chinese laborers comprised 80-90% of the Central Pacific workforce, drilling tunnels through granite under hazardous conditions. CPRR President Leland Stanford tapped a ceremonial golden spike to mark the connection. The rail link reduced cross-country travel from months by wagon to roughly one week.
Key Figures
Leland StanfordThomas C. DurantGrenville M. DodgeCollis P. HuntingtonCharles Crocker
Locations
Promontory SummitSacramentoOmaha
Topics
transcontinental railroadwestern united statesutahpromontory summiteastern united statescurriculum5th grade
Connected Events — 5 Connections
The Trans-Siberian followed the precedent of the American transcontinental railroad Completion of the Trans-Siberian Railway
Butterfield's 25-day route demonstrated the economic necessity of faster transcontinental connections, driving railroad completion Butterfield Overland Mail Route Founded
Provided the territorial foundation and legal framework for westward expansion that made a transcontinental railroad both geographically possible and economically necessary to connect distant territories to eastern markets Louisiana Purchase
The Erie Canal demonstrated the economic value of continental transportation infrastructure, a precedent the railroad later surpassed Construction of the Erie Canal
Bessemer steel rails replaced brittle iron rails, enabling rapid railroad expansion Henry Bessemer Patents the Steel-Making Process
The Time Detectives® · Cadet Mission
Investigate This Event
Place it on the timeline. Earn points. Master the connections.
New to The Time Detectives?
Learn what it is →