Golden Spike Cultural Landscape Report

Statement of Significance

The landscape associated with the construction and operation of the transcontinental railroad is nationally significant under National Register criteria A, C, and D. [23] According to Utley and Ketterson (1969), the railroad furnished quicker and cheaper transportation for government supplies and the mail and permitted a vast and profitable commercial trade to develop between East and West. The transcontinental line brought in its wake immigration, settlement, and industrial and agricultural development, mass transportation, and forever altered American Indian lifeways.

The extant landscape features within Golden Spike National Historic Site illustrate the process by which the transcontinental railroad was constructed, including the competitive nature of the venture, which was actively encouraged by the federal government. The competition or the "race" to finish the line is dramatically illustrated by the parallel grades within the railroad corridor. The engineering feats accomplished in the construction of the transcontinental railroad represent state-of-the-art skills developed during the Civil War.

With regard to the site's national significance, the contributing landscape features within Golden Spike National Historic Site reveal the story of the construction and operation of the transcontinental railroad. They assist the park visitor in understanding and appreciating the history of the railroad construction, including the contributions made by various ethnic and cultural groups. In addition, the current isolated nature of the site, surrounded by scattered ranch headquarters and agricultural land use, speaks to the importance of the railroad to the local population, which continued through 1942.

Three periods of significance are proposed for this landscape. The first corresponds to the period between February of 1869 and the first months of 1870. This represents the period of intensive construction activity through the Promontories, initiated with the CP's beginning work on the Big Fill and ending with the formal changing of the transfer point from Promontory to Ogden. Within this period, May 10, 1869, the day that the last spike was driven in the transcontinental line, is considered a date of primary significance for the historical site. The Last Spike Site possesses its own unique significance, as the location of the formal joining of the UP and CP lines, and the symbolic completion of the transcontinental railroad.

The second period of significance extends from May 10, 1869 through September 18, 1904, when this segment of the railroad grade was part of the main transcontinental line. Although the construction crews were gone from the scene, the town of Promontory Station had developed in the vicinity of the Last Spike Site, and major improvements were completed on the grade. For nearly 35 years, all passenger and freight traffic on the transcontinental railroad funneled through Promontory Summit — the only natural gap in the rugged Promontory Mountains. The steep grades leading to the pass required special procedures, including the use of helper engines. However, with the completion of the Lucin Cutoff in 1904, the segment of the line through the Promontory Mountains, past the Last Spike Site, was downgraded to a local branch line. This downgrading of the rail line marks the end of national significance for the historic site.

The third period of significance encompasses the period between 1904 and 1942. During this time the line became known as the Promontory Branch or the Promontory Line, and was generally used for local traffic only. Although no longer a component of the transcontinental railroad, the branch line continued to be important to local residents, who depended upon it for both passenger and freight service.

The National Historic Site as a whole possesses integrity of location, setting, feeling and association. Although there has been some deterioration of materials in the grade and its associated structures, it possesses integrity of materials, workmanship and design. In addition, the archaeological remains of the former activity areas (e.g., workers' campsites and the town of Promontory Station) possess depositional integrity and have the potential to contribute significant information regarding site function, and the range of activities that occurred at the various sites. In addition, they may yield information regarding the age, gender and ethnic/cultural origin of site occupants.