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Primary
Ibis Communications

Eye Witness to History: Completing the Transcontinental Railroad, 1869

For Students 9th - 10th
An overview of the construction of America's Transcontinental Railway, and its completion when the last spike was driven (after several misses) in Utah to connect the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific railways. Travel across the...
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Handout
Other

Brown Quarterly: The Chinese and the Transcontinental Railroad [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
From The Brown Quaterly (1997) an article describing the role of the Chinese immigrant in building the railroad. Includes images of the Chinese railroad workers. (PDF - scroll down to page 7)
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Handout
Library of Congress

Loc: Today in History: May 10: Jefferson Davis & "Wedding of the Rails"

For Students 9th - 10th
Library of Congress presents primary source documents, essays, photos and maps of historical events on May 10th including a ceremony at Promontory Point, Utah for the meeting of the Union Pacific and Central railways and the capture of...
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Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Binding the Nation by Rail

For Students 5th - 8th
Read about the explosive growth of railroad track across the United States after the Civil War. Find out about the building of the Transcontinental Railroad, the men who made fortunes from the railroads, and the first American regulatory...
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Article
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Cprr Photographic History Museum: Driving the Last Spike at Promontory, 1869

For Students 9th - 10th
In-depth look at the ceremony at Promontory Point upon the completion of the transcontinental railroad. The author discusses the preparation for the ceremony, the use of four ceremonial spikes, and what became of them. From an article in...
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Website
Curated OER

National Park Service: Golden Spike National Historic Site

For Students 9th - 10th
Homepage of the Golden Spike National Historic Site. Provides general information about the completion of the transcontinental railroad and contains links to other information.
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Handout
Museum of the City of San Francisco

Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco: Driving the Last Spike

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides a short description of the development of the transcontinental railroad and the "Big Four" behind the construction. From the San Francisco News Letter of September 1925.
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Graphic
Curated OER

Golden Spike at the Stanford University Museum

For Students 9th - 10th
In-depth look at the ceremony at Promontory Point upon the completion of the transcontinental railroad. The author discusses the preparation for the ceremony, the use of four ceremonial spikes, and what became of them. From an article in...
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Graphic
Curated OER

Golden Spike Hotel, Promontory, Utah. Handbill. Courtesy National Park Service.

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site provides images of trains and maps on the history of railroading in America. Exhibits include digital images of stereographs, railroad maps, engravings, historic papers and more.