The Southern Pacific Monument

The Southern Pacific Monument. Golden Spike National Historic Site. , An Icon Restored , In 1965, the National Park Service assumed ownership of the aging monument, which had been damaged by years of weathering and vandalism. The interior had also been severely damaged by ground water that had wicked up into the monument through its buried base. Early restoration attempts unintentionally contributed to the damage by using materials that did not allow for evaporation of water trapped inside the monument. Based on state of the art technology, the National Park Service began a new repair process in 2001. Restoration and preservation steps included: ,

• Removing the concrete monument from the ground to prevent further moisture absorption and allowing it to dry
• Transferring the monument to its present location
• Replacing old stucco, paint, and patches with a new, breathable masonry coating
• Protecting the monument through regularly scheduled maintenance

, Significance of the Monument , In 1916, the Southern Pacific Railroad (formerly the Central Pacific Railroad) placed the monument near the site where the nation's first transcontinental railroad was completed. For decades, it stood there, a lonely reminder of the driving of the last spike on May 10, 1869 at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory. Today, the handsomely restored monument remains an icon of westward expansion, the settlement of northern Utah and commemorates an historic event that transformed America.