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Sculpture will honor workers who built world's first transcontinental railroad in Utah

Posted at 12:09 PM, May 17, 2022
and last updated 2022-05-17 14:57:44-04

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.