Council Bluffs in Pottawattamie County, Iowa — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Gateway to West
First Ave Trail
| | Great American Rail-Trail | |
December 26, 2024
1. Gateway to West Marker
In 1863, this area designated by President Lincoln as eastern end of first transcontinental railroad. Union Pacific built railroad west to Utah.
Erected 2024 by William G. Pomeroy Foundation, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. (Marker Number 8.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the William G. Pomeroy Foundation series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1863.
Location. 41° 15.642′ N, 95° 52.873′ W. Marker is in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in Pottawattamie County. It can be reached from South 25th Street north of 2nd Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Located on the First Avenue Trail. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 99 S 25th St, Council Bluffs IA 51501, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Western Iowa, in Loess Hills, and in Greater Omaha. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Lewis & Clark Corridor, and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically,
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Fountain of Honor (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Golden Spike Monument (approx. 0.6 miles away); Amelia Bloomer (approx. 1.4 miles away); Squirrel Cage Jail (approx. 1½ miles away); Civil War Memorial (approx. 1½ miles away); Mormon Trail (approx. 1½ miles away); Spanish War Veterans (approx. 1½ miles away); Abraham Lincoln's 1859 Visit (approx. 1.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Council Bluffs.
Also see . . .
1. Great American Rail-Trail Historical Marker Program | Rails to Trails Conservancy. (Submitted on January 11, 2025.)
2. How Council Bluffs Became the Eastern Point... | Rails to Trails Conservancy. (Submitted on January 11, 2025.)
December 26, 2024
2. Gateway to West Marker, from the east
December 26, 2024
3. Gateway to West Marker, from the west
Credits. This page was last revised on February 24, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 11, 2025. This page has been viewed 249 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 11, 2025.
