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First Transcontinental Railroad, Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads "Golden Spike" ceremony / ceremony event / Promontory, Utah / May 10, 1869

Intent: Describe the "Golden Spike" ceremony event depicted in the photograph below.

Ancillary data:

The term "golden spike" generally refers to the last, ceremonial spike driven specifically to mark the completion of a railroad line. The practice originated with the First Transcontinental Railroad, when Leland Stanford officially joined the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads on May 10, 1869 at Promontory, Utah. Contrary to popular belief, the spike was not pure gold, but was made of an alloy of different metals, as the softness of pure gold would not withstand the impact of a sledgehammer. (However, the golden spike was ceremonial, and was dropped into a predrilled hole in the laurel ceremonial last tie, not driven into the wood with a sledgehammer.)

Credits: http://en.wikipedia.org