Replicas of the Union Pacific’s “Old 119” and the Central Pacific’s “Jupiter” met at Promontory Point, Utah on May 10, 2019
A visit to Promontory Point, Utah by Fred Ames
On May 10th the day was sunny and cool in the high desert just north of the Great Salt Lake. My cousin Henry and I were up before sunrise to have breakfast at the Denney’s next door to our motel in Tremonton. We wanted to have plenty of time for the drive out to the Golden Spike National Historical Park to get there before the crowds arrived. May 10th marked the 150th anniversary of one of the most significant days in American history, the completion of the transcontinental railroad at Promontory Point, Utah.
was the site of the festivities.
Reenacting the original ceremony
Over 16,000 people showed up to celebrate. The line of cars stretched for miles back down the two-lane country road leading to the Park. People came from all over the country. There were lots of speeches from senators, governors, mayors, generals, railroad executives, descendants of railroad workers, and the Secretary of Transportation. The Air Force had a fly over and fire works exploded in the bright sunlight.
Replicas of the UP’s locomotive “Old 119” and the Central Pacific’s “Jupiter” with steam whistles tooting recreated the famous scene (complete with liquor bottles) at the exact time on that day in 1869 when east and west were joined and our country was profoundly changed, just as the internet today has changed our lives. The reenactment of the original ceremony, which mercifully had considerably less speech making, ended the day’s program.
Around two o’clock, after getting our lunch from a food truck, Henry and I left the celebration slightly sun burned and with plenty of commemorative tee shirts, caps, refrigerator magnets, coasters, tie clasps, and golden spikes. Our destination was Salt Lake City for an exhibition of historic photos of the building of the road at the University of Utah museum. The museum had a copy of the telegram sent to Oliver Ames at the Union Pacific headquarters in Boston informing him that the rails had just been joined. Brother Oakes was in Washington, D.C on the 10th.
Oakes Ames’ legacy
Unfortunately, Easton native Oakes instead became remembered for his part in the Union Pacific’s Credit Mobilier financing “scandal”. This September 21st at the Martin Institute at Stonehill College there will be a long overdue symposium on Oakes’ life and his place in American history, including his part in the Credit Mobilier controversy. Oakes was a truly remarkable man of many interests and accomplishments. The symposium will examine Oakes’ life in depth from his early life in Easton to his death here in 1873. It is certain to be an interesting and informative day.
Oakes Ames was a central figure in the building of the road. In early 1865 and with only 12 miles of Union Pacific track laid a frustrated president Abraham Lincoln said to congressman Oakes: “Ames, you take hold of this. The road must be built, and you are the man to do it. Take hold of it yourself. By building the Union Pacific you will be the remembered man of your generation.”
