PROMONTORY, Utah — Golden Spike National Historical Park will have a new sculpture to commemorate those who built the first transcontinental railroad, with its final pieces put into place on May 21-22.
“Monument to Their Memory” will stand 24 feet tall and over 11 feet wide, resembling a railroad track climbing upwards to a vanishing point to create an illusion that is is vanishing in the distance.
It is the creation of Ilan Averbuch, a New York-based, Israeli-born artist, who is internationally known for his large-scale outdoor sculptures.
He was commissioned to create this piece in April 2021, and will be on-site this weekend to install the granite railroad ties that fit into the metal structure.
On May 10, 1869, a golden spike was ceremonially driven into a polished railroad tie at Promontory Summit, Utah.
It was the first transcontinental railroad to be built in the world, taking over six years to build.
