Last updated: April 16, 2026
Place
Stop 5-Towns and Camps
NPS Photo
The harsh terrain surrounding you was also home to thousands of railroad workers during the final days of the railroad’s construction. Central Pacific camps were located to the west, while several Union Pacific camps were scattered throughout the valley below.
Some Union Pacific camps elsewhere along the line developed reputations as “hell-on-wheels” towns. In the Promontory area, Deadfall was the camp most often associated with that reputation. Other nearby Union Pacific camps—many of which included workers who were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—are generally described in historical accounts as quieter and more orderly, reflecting differences in camp leadership, population, and daily life.
Some Union Pacific camps elsewhere along the line developed reputations as “hell-on-wheels” towns. In the Promontory area, Deadfall was the camp most often associated with that reputation. Other nearby Union Pacific camps—many of which included workers who were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—are generally described in historical accounts as quieter and more orderly, reflecting differences in camp leadership, population, and daily life.