Golden Spike Cultural Landscape Report

Part Two of the CLR outlines the general management philosophy and a primary treatment strategy for Golden Spike NHS. The management philosophy and treatment strategies take into consideration the management goals as outlined in previous planning documents, such as the 1978 GMP, and current issues identified by NHS and Intermountain Support Office personnel including NHS Superintendent, Bruce Powell; NETS Chief Ranger, Rick Wilson; Archaeologist, Adrienne Anderson; and, Historical Architect, Sayre Hutchison. Landscape character areas, which, in this instance, correspond with management zones, are also identified, based upon the information presented in Part I, including the comparison of the historical patterns of landscape development with the existing conditions in the NHS. (Appendix A contains a list of past park service actions that have affected various aspects of the Golden Spike cultural landscape.)

Cultural Landscape Character Areas

For purposes of this landscape analysis, Golden Spike NHS has been treated as a single cultural landscape. However, specific areas within the landscape exhibit distinct landscape character and varying levels of historical integrity. The primary distinction is drawn between Promontory Summit, which contains park headquarters and the Last Spike Site, and the railroad corridors that extend east and west from the summit along the slopes of the Promontory Mountains.

The Last Spike Site is perhaps the most important location within the NETS and in the past has been the focus of park service "reconstruction" efforts. [24] It was also selected as the location for park headquarters and, as such, contains the most modern development of any location within the NHS boundaries. On the whole, the 160-acre parcel of fee simple land at the summit has less historical integrity relative to its level of historical significance than either the east or the west slopes. This is due to the 73 years of operation and maintenance of the railroad at Promontory Station, dry farming and grazing within the 160-acre headquarters parcel, and National Park Service activities. In its rush to develop the site for the 100th anniversary of the driving of the last spike, the park service removed all above-ground evidence of Promontory Station and of the long-term operation and maintenance of the railroad. Also, in keeping with then-existing design practice, a visitor center was built extremely close to the park's prime resource — the Last Spike Site. Since that time, however, awareness of the later periods of historic significance of the site has resulted in an understanding of the need to protect the archaeological resources associated with the town of Promontory Station, as well as the more intangible cultural landscape features important to the site. Furthermore, the partial reconstruction of the May 10, 1869 scene, including the relaying of track on the mainline grade, the reconstruction of the UP wye and siding, and the reestablishment of telegraph poles have restored some of the historic feeling associated with the Last Spike Site.

In contrast the east and west slopes have been modified little since removal of the ties and tracks in 1942. Other than the addition of gravel to the grade surface and the addition of a few interpretive waysides, the railroad grades and associated structures retain historical integrity. Prior park service treatment strategies on the east and west slopes fall under the general category of "preservation" including both stabilization and preservation maintenance.

Based upon the above discussion, two management zones are identified for the park. Zone 1 corresponds to the summit area, including park headquarters development and the Last Spike Site. This area has high historical significance but less physical integrity than the east and west slopes because of the historical operation of the railroad, activities associated with Promontory Station, and National Park Service management decisions and development. Zone 2 includes the east and west slopes, where significance is also high and the cultural resources retain a high degree of integrity.

Management Philosophy

Golden Spike NHS is a nationally significant resource that interprets the events leading to completion of the Pacific Railroad, the "Wedding of the Rails" ceremony and the changes that resulted from the completion of the railroad. Since the establishment of the NHS, the primary management goal has been to manage the "historic scene and cultural resources, as closely as practical, in keeping with their character and appearance in 1869." This has resulted in laying track on the historical alignments, installing historically correct telegraph poles, erecting portions of the May 10, 1869 "tent city," and creating replica locomotives of the historic Central Pacific's Jupiter and the Union Pacific's 119. At times this goal has been at odds with the need to provide interpretation and visitor services and to fulfill administrative and maintenance responsibilities. This conflict is most apparent at the summit, where a park service visitor center/administration building and associated parking area was constructed adjacent to the Last Spike Site. The addition of these facilities in 1969 severely impacted the physical character of the site and eliminated the opportunity to fully reconstruct the landscape to the May 10, 1869 scene. As a result of these impacts to the site, the current overall philosophy for management of the cultural landscape focuses on ways to enhance the interpretive environment surrounding the Last Spike Site through the use of compatible site features (materials and finishes), protection of viewsheds, selected screening of visually intrusive development, and addition of non-historic, but contributing elements, such as the reconstructed track, wye, and locomotives. The scene of May 10, 1869 will be further enhanced through the addition of some of the temporary site features (tents, appropriate rolling stock, wood piles, carts and wagons), present at the time of the driving of the last spike. The few above-ground features remaining from the late historical period (the box elder trees, matrimony vine and golden currant) will be maintained.

Efforts at maintaining the historic scene along the east and west slopes have been more successful because these areas have remained largely undeveloped by the National Park Service and undisturbed by general operation of the rail line or by agricultural activities. Adaptive reuse of the railroad grade to accommodate self-guiding auto tours has only slightly impacted the cultural resource. Routine grade maintenance practices (such as yearly clearing of the grade culverts) and stabilization of grade structures such as culverts and trestles along with careful monitoring will protect the grade from deterioration. In addition, although integrity of setting is also important for the west and east slopes, the viewsheds in these areas are extensive — in some areas incorporating miles of agricultural lands to the shores of the Great Salt Lake. Expansion of the NHS boundaries on the west and east slopes should be contemplated only for protection of structural and archaeological resources, not to protect historical setting. The preferred treatment for the east and west slopes continues to be "preservation" including stabilization and preservation maintenance.