Golden Spike Cultural Landscape Report

Archaeological Sites

A variety of archaeological sites are located within and adjacent to the boundary of Golden Spike National NHS. Most of the built environment once associated with Promontory Station has been removed, leaving only archaeological signatures. Similarly, archaeological sites represent the only evidence of the intensive human habitation that characterized the last months of construction and the completion of the transcontinental rail line. (See Figures 23 and 24 for the distribution of archaeological sites along the west and east slopes of the park.)

Promontory Summit

Archaeological resources in the Promontory Summit area include the remains of the buildings and other improvements associated both with railroad companies and with private individuals. In general, all of these features can be considered part of the development at Promontory Station. Features include earthen berms, the locations of at least five historic buildings, a possible dugout, a cellar, 3 unidentified depressions, 2 circular pits, one cistern, a water trough, and the remnants of a corral. Other features shown in the figures include 3 sidings north of the reconstructed main tracks and several trash middens. (See Figure 22 and associated key for the locations of the previously identified archaeological features in the Promontory Summit area.)

West and East Slopes

In addition to the archaeological remains located in the Promontory Summit area, the east and west slopes of the park contain the remains of Camp Dead Fall, Hall's Camp and other workers' campsites, believed to be associated with the construction of the railroad. In general, these campsites are clustered near the locations of major engineered structures, such as the fills and trestles constructed by both the CP and UP railroad companies. These campsites contain a variety of features believed to be the remains of the shelters erected by workers themselves and of larger structures erected by employees of the railroad companies (e.g., cook tents, etc.). Anderson (1983) reports four basic types of domestic structures within the various worker's campsites; pit structures, masonry foundations, leveled platforms and dugouts (Figures 39 and 40). In addition several of the small rockshelters in the vicinity of the construction corridor were used as domestic habitations by construction workers.

Figure 39. View to west. Archaeological remains of domestic shelters built by railroad construction worker — west slope. Note the shallow depressions in the middle of the photo above the road. Source: HRA 2000.