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The
Last Tie
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Nearly everyone knows that when the railroad was completed on May 10, 1869 a golden spike was driven as a symbol of the great accomplishment. What is not as well known is that there were actually four precious metal spikes that were "driven" into pre-drilled holes in a tie made of polished laurel wood from California. Today, at the last spike site, there is a replica of the original laurel tie, complete with a silver plaque engraved with the names of several of the Central Pacific's officers. A silver plated spike maul was also used in that now famous ceremony. |
The fate of the original spikes, maul, and tie are as follows: The golden spike is on display at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California along with the silver spike from Nevada and the silver plated spike maul. The silver and gold plated spike from then Arizona Territory is in the Museum of the City of New York. A second, smaller golden spike's fate is unknown. Finally, the laurel wood tie that was highly polished and adorned with a silver plaque, was destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. |
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