1869 the first transcontinental railroad linking the eastern and 05 10
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1869 157 years ago Historical Events May 10 4 sources

The First transcontinental railroad, linking the eastern and western United States, is completed at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory with the golden spike.

On May 10, in the year 1869, The First transcontinental railroad, linking the eastern and western United States, is completed at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory with the golden spike. This event is recorded as a Historical Events event in the history of May 10, a notable event in this corner of history.

America's first transcontinental railroad was a 1,911-mile (3,075 km) continuous railroad line built between 1863 and 1869 that connected the existing eastern U.S. rail network at Council Bluffs, Iowa, with the Pacific coast at the Oakland Long Wharf on San Francisco Bay. The rail line was built by three private companies over public lands provided by extensive U.S. land grants. Building was financed by both state and U.S. government subsidy bonds as well as by company-issued mortgage bonds. The Western Pacific Railroad Company built 132 miles (212 km) of track from the road's western terminus at Alameda/Oakland to Sacramento, California. The Central Pacific Railroad Company of California (CPRR) constructed 690 miles (1,110 km) east from Sacramento to Promontory Summit, Utah Territory. The Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) built 1,085 miles (1,746 km) from the road's eastern terminus at the Missouri River settlements of Council Bluffs and Omaha, Nebraska, westward to Promontory Summit.

Key Facts

  • This event took place on May 10, 1869 (AD era).
  • It is categorised as a Historical Events event in recorded history.
  • Referenced in 4 Wikipedia articles.
  • Wikipedia source last updated on 30 April 2026.

On This Date in History

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Notable Deaths 2010 May 10 Frank Frazetta, American illustrator and painter (born 1928)
Notable Deaths 2008 May 10 Leyla Gencer, Turkish soprano (born 1928)
Notable Deaths 2006 May 10 Soraya, Colombian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (born 1969)
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Notable Deaths 2003 May 10 Milan Vukcevich, Serbian-American chemist and chess player (born 1937)
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Notable Deaths 2002 May 10 Kaifi Azmi, Indian poet and songwriter (born 1919)
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Notable Deaths 2001 May 10 Sudhakarrao Naik, Indian politician, Governor of Himachal Pradesh (born 1934)
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Notable Births 1996 May 10 Nicolas Aubé-Kubel, Canadian ice hockey player
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Notable Births 1996 May 10 Kateřina Siniaková, Czech tennis player
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Notable Births 1995 May 10 Missy Franklin, American swimmer
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This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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