Giant golden railroad spike to honor transcontinental railroad workers visits USU

A giant, 43-foot, gold-leafed railroad spike monument made its way to Utah State University for the public to admire on Tuesday. The spike is making stops around Utah before becoming a permanent display at Golden Spike State Monument in Brigham City.

The spike depicts scenes of various people that worked on or were impacted by the transcontinental railroad. It shows Chinese and Irish immigrant workers, the two largest groups of workers on the railroad, as well as others that worked on the railroad such as Civil War veterans. It also shows Native Americans, a group that was impacted by the building of the railroad, and nature and animal scenes.

The Golden Spike Foundation began its Driving of the Spike event on April 24 to recognize the contributions of the Central Pacific Railroad workers and follow the route of the railroad to Sacramento, California and back.

The giant spike made a stop in Salt Lake City, Sacramento and in Wells, Nevada before coming to USU. The spike will now travel to Tremonton, Ogden, Box Elder County, Millcreek and Promontory to finish the tour.

Last fall, the spike toured the Union Railroad side of the railway, making stops in eight cities between Lexington, Kentucky and Utah.

According to Renee Leta, the vice president of impact and engagement for the Golden Spike Foundation, the spike helps to commemorate the legacy of the railroad and the workers that built it.

“The foundation commissioned the Golden Spike Monument to help Utah remember its legacy and to expand that story to include railroad worker groups who helped build the transcontinental railroad,” Leta said.