Golden Spike National Historic Site

Above, the 1869 "Golden Spike" ceremony gathering.

After leaving the Brigham City/Perry South KOA to go on the final leg to Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, I seriously considered taking a bit of a detour west (about 32 miles) from I-15 to visit the Golden Spike National Historic Site in Promontory Point, Utah.

I decided not to go there as I didn't feel a 32 mile detour was justified and I wanted to get to Lava Hot Springs. Besides, there will be other times I will be in the area, I thought.

After reading a new article by Do It Yourself RV (aren't they timely?), I now regret not taking that little detour.

What's the Golden Spike National Historic Site?

Here's what the article says:

At 2:47 PM on May 10, 1869 a single word was transmitted by telegraph from Promontory, Utah to Chicago:  “Done.”  This solitary word signified the achievement of one of the most important milestones of the building of the United States, the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.  A monumental feat, six years in the making, was finally at an end.

Today, there is a visitor center (with replica steam engines) and tours of the area put on by the National Park Service. There are also reenactments of the "Golden Spike" ceremony and other things to see. To see the NPS website for the Golden Spike National Historic Site, go here.

To read the article, go here.