Construction is underway for the Golden Spike State Monument in Brigham City, Utah. The monument will honor the workers who built the First Transcontinental Railroad, which was completed in 1869 when the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads met at Promontory Summit. The monument site spans eight acres and will feature a 43-foot, gold-leafed, spike-shaped sculpture created by artist Douwe Blumberg.
The sculpture depicts 74 faces, representing the diverse workforce that built the railroad, including Chinese workers, Civil War veterans, Irish workers, and formerly enslaved people. “Working together, they were able to basically create something that was magnificent and literally changed the world,” said Doug Foxley, chair of the Golden Spike Foundation. “To me, this is a story about uniting.
It’s more important now than ever that we talk about things that unify us instead of things that tear us apart.”
The monument site will also include a welcome center, a picnic pavilion modeled after the snow sheds built by Chinese workers in the Sierra Nevada, and a statue of Abraham Lincoln, who played a role in enabling the railroad’s construction through the Pacific Railway Act of 1862.
Construction of Golden Spike monument
Robyn Kremer, president of the Golden Spike Foundation, said the monument is designed to immerse visitors in the history of the railroad.
“It’s just a wonderful way to keep the history going,” Kremer said. “It’s an important story. It changed everything from how we do business, how we move goods, how we pleasure travel, how we communicate.
It’s a story that needs to live on. And it happened here.”
The monument is expected to open by fall 2026 and will serve as a jumping-off point to encourage visitors to explore both the new site and the existing Golden Spike National Historical Park at Promontory Summit. The project is a collaboration between the Golden Spike Foundation, Box Elder County, and Brigham City.
It was made possible through substantial donations and support from both public and private sectors, including a $2 million allocation from the Utah State Legislature in 2024.
