Strasburg in Arapahoe County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
First Transcontinental Railroad
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, June 21, 2015
1. Transcontinental Railroad Marker
A continuous chain of rails, from the Atlantic to the Pacific had long been a vision of pioneer railroaders and frontier tamers. It became a reality at 3:00 pm on August 15, 1870 at a point 928 feet east of railroad milepost 602, near Comanche Crossing. Named for a usually dry but sometimes rampaging creek, Comanche Crossing is about 3/4 of a mile east of present day Strasburg, Colorado. The last rails were spiked by Kansas Pacific Railroad crews driving west from Kansas and East from Denver to give the nation its first truly continuous coast-to-coast rail road. On the final day, the crews laid a record breaking 10 1/4 miles of track in 9 hours, to win a barrel of whiskey which canny foremen had placed midway in the final gap.
Entered in the National Register of Historic Places 8/10/70
Erected by Comanche Crossing Historical Society 2008
Erected 2008 by Comanche Crossing Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1870.
Location. 39° 44.23′ N, 104° 19.883′ W. Marker is in Strasburg, Colorado, in Arapahoe County. Marker can be reached from East Colfax Avenue west of Wagner Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 3 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Comanche Crossing Centennial (approx. 0.3 miles away); High-Five Plains Towns / Ten Miles a Day (approx. 3˝ miles away); Front Range Flight (approx. 3˝ miles away).
Also see . . . Comanche Crossing Historical Society & Museum. Museums USA website entry (Submitted on November 28, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, June 21, 2015
2. First Transcontinental Railroad Marker - Wide View
The marker is easily found on the grounds of the Comanche Crossing Historical Society Museum.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 28, 2022. It was originally submitted on August 23, 2015, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 788 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 23, 2015, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
