Near Buford in Albany County, Wyoming — The American West (Mountains)
Ames Monument
Commissioned by the Union Pacific Railroad, the Ames Monument is a memorial to the Ames brothers, Oakes and Oliver, for their contributions to the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. Their strong support, drive and influence were instrumental in completing the Union Pacific section of the railroad. Finished in 1882, the Monument is located near the highest elevation (8,247 feet) of the Transcontinental Railroad route.
Lincoln's Vision
President Abraham Lincoln considered his signing of the Pacific Railway Act of 1862, which made building the Transcontinental Railroad possible, one of the crowning achievements of his presidency. However, by 1865, little progress was made on the construction of the Union Pacific portion of the line. Oakes Ames, admired for his willingness to take on difficult tasks, was referred to by President Lincoln as the "broad shouldered Ames." Lincoln appealed to his friend Oakes, who was a member of the Congressional Committee on Railroads, to help move his vision forward. The Ames bothers initially invested a million dollars of their own money in the railroad and encouraged other capitalists to invest another $1.5 million.
Oakes Ames (1804-1873)
Oakes Ames was an American businessman and member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts. While in Congress, he became one of the most influential supporters of the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. Oakes believed strongly in Lincoln's vision that constructing the Transcontinental Railroad was vital to the nation's future. Abraham Lincoln took Oakes into his confidence. "Ames, you take hold of this." the president told him. "The road must be built, and you are the man to do it. Take hold of it yourself...."
Oliver Ames (1807-1877)
Oliver Ames, Jr. managed the Ames shovel manufacturing company. Soon after Oliver and his brother Oakes inherited the business from their father, the discovery of gold in California, the expansion of the railroads, and the Civil War drove the demand for quality shovels - and made the Ames brothers wealthy men. Oliver Ames, a bright, skillful manager and meticulous bookkeeper, served as president of the Union Pacific during the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad.
Erected by Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources.
Topics and series. This historical marker and monument is listed in these topic lists: Man-Made Features • Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #16 Abraham Lincoln, the National Historic Landmarks, and the Transcontinental Railroad series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1882.
Location. 41° 7.86′ N, 105° 23.875′ W. Marker is near Buford, Wyoming, in Albany County. Marker is on Monument Road near Hermosa Road, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200 Monument Road, Buford WY 82052, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Transcontinental Railroad (here, next to this marker); Pyramid on the Plains (here, next to this marker); Old Sherman Cemetery (approx. 0.3 miles away); Lonetree on the Laramie Range (approx. 2.7 miles away); Tree in the Rock (approx. 2.7 miles away); Tree Rock (approx. 2.7 miles away); Sherman Mountains (approx. 2.7 miles away); The Purple Heart Trail (approx. 7.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Buford.
More about this monument. The Ames Monument is about 16 miles east of Laramie. The Monument is accessed by taking the Vedauwoo exit (Exit 329) off of Interstate 80.
Also see . . . Ames Monument- Wikipedia. The Ames brothers succeeded where others failed and completed the transcontinental railway. However, in 1873 charges of financial fraud were leveled at Oakes, tarnishing his and the Union Pacific Railroad Company's reputation. Public outcry towards Oakes and other "Kings of Frauds" associated with scandal threatened the Ames family reputation and the Ames Company that dated back to 1774 when the company started making steel-edged shovels.... Memory of the financial scandal that surfaced in 1873 had not been forgotten when the Union Pacific Railroad Company built the monument honoring the Ames brothers during 1881-1882. The Union Pacific Railroad Board of Directors voted in 1875 to erect the grand Ames Monument, in part to help reclaim some of the company's luster lost during implications of fraud leveled earlier at Oakes Ames (Submitted on October 15, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)
Credits. This page was last revised on March 24, 2024. It was originally submitted on October 15, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,196 times since then and 58 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on October 15, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.