The first transcontinental railroad in the United States was completed at Promontory Summit, Utah, on 10 May 1869.
The Central Pacific Railroad built westward from Sacramento, while the Union Pacific Railroad built westward from Omaha. Their tracks met at Promontory Summit, where officials drove a ceremonial golden spike to join the lines.
The connection created a rail route across the United States and greatly reduced travel time between the eastern and western regions. Before the railroad, long-distance journeys often required stagecoaches, ships, or difficult overland routes.
The original route through Promontory was later bypassed by a lower route near the Great Salt Lake. The Golden Spike National Historical Park now preserves the site, and replicas of the ceremonial spikes are displayed there.