Day 2 Session II
Monday, July 22, 2008
Day 2 - We left Brigham City, Utah (north of Salt Lake City) and toured "The Golden Spike" and other
scenic sites on our way to the next campground in Montpelier, Idaho.
The Golden Spike Historic Site was set aside by Congress to document the importance and construction of
the Nation's first continental railroad. The Central Pacific RR broke ground in January 1863 and the Union
Pacific RR in December. On May 10, 1869 two locomotives - the Jupiter and No. 119 met at Promontory Summit. They drove a golden spike into the rails to join the east and the west. Today we watched a team of train engineers fire up replicas of the two locomotives and drive them to Promontory Summit.
The campers are pictured in front of the Jupiter locomotive. Much to our surprise the trains from that era
were all beautifully painted and polished on a regular because it was the Victorian era.
While touring the site we also stopped at the limestone formation pictured called the Chinese Arch, which
has become a memorial to the thousands of Chinese who helped build the transcontinental railroad.
We stopped and took pictures of the Paris Tabernacle erected in 1888 which was the first stake built
outside the territory of Utah.
Next stop hiking in the Grand Tetons.
Day 2 - We left Brigham City, Utah (north of Salt Lake City) and toured "The Golden Spike" and other
scenic sites on our way to the next campground in Montpelier, Idaho.
The Golden Spike Historic Site was set aside by Congress to document the importance and construction of
the Nation's first continental railroad. The Central Pacific RR broke ground in January 1863 and the Union
Pacific RR in December. On May 10, 1869 two locomotives - the Jupiter and No. 119 met at Promontory Summit. They drove a golden spike into the rails to join the east and the west. Today we watched a team of train engineers fire up replicas of the two locomotives and drive them to Promontory Summit.
The campers are pictured in front of the Jupiter locomotive. Much to our surprise the trains from that era
were all beautifully painted and polished on a regular because it was the Victorian era.
While touring the site we also stopped at the limestone formation pictured called the Chinese Arch, which
has become a memorial to the thousands of Chinese who helped build the transcontinental railroad.
We stopped and took pictures of the Paris Tabernacle erected in 1888 which was the first stake built
outside the territory of Utah.
Next stop hiking in the Grand Tetons.
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