Transcontinental Railroad, 1869
Joining of the rails, May 10, 1869
In 1862 Abraham Lincoln signed into law the Pacific Railroad Act and construction of the transcontinental railroad began in Omaha and Sacramento.
As the two rail lines drew closer to Utah, leaders debated which route around the Great Salt Lake should be chosen. Brigham Young and others wanted a southern route that included Salt Lake City, but Grenville Dodge, Union Pacific chief engineer, successfully campaigned for a northern route that eventually included Ogden.
Territory and county leaders contracted with both the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroad companies to provide grading through Echo Canyon and other areas. Weber County citizens provided most of the labor for these projects.
Ogden was chosen as the site for a new depot after Brigham Young purchased 133 acres of land from Ogden farmers. This land was used for the depot, rail yards, and repair shops.
On March 8, 1869, the Union Pacific Railroad line arrived in Ogden to great celebration. A military brass band performed, and a public stand was erected along the track. A procession of city leaders, teachers, and students marched downtown carrying banners that said, “Hail to the Highway of Nations! Utah Bids You Welcome!”
After several speeches, artillery was fired in celebration, the band played again, engine whistles blew, and the whole town cheered. The newspaper reported that in the evening, “the assembly dispersed to their homes at sundown, having enjoyed one of the happiest epochs in their history, and the turning point of Utah’s future.”
Railroad workers in Weber Canyon
Central Pacific Camp
Original Ogden station