Promontory Summit (Golden Spike)

Promontory Summit, located in Utah, is the historic site where the first transcontinental railroad in the United States was completed in 1869. This event marked the joining of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads with a ceremonial Golden Spike, symbolizing the linking of the eastern and western United States by rail. The railroad revolutionized transportation, trade, and settlement across the country, facilitating faster movement of people and goods. Today, Promontory Summit is preserved as a National Historic Landmark, commemorating this key achievement in American engineering and expansion.