Transcontinental Railroad 150th Anniversary
Throughout the spring of 2019, the Center and its partners will be commemorating the 150th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad at Promontory Point, Utah, in 1869.
Stanford Historical Society
Transcontinental Railroad Symposium at Stanford, April 6
In a morning symposium, the Stanford Historical Society will reflect on the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad and its legacy at Stanford. Presenters will include a variety of Stanford faculty experts who will discuss the impact of the railroad on American lives, fortunes, and society.
Commemoration in Sacramento on May 18
The Stanford Historical Society will lead a commemoration of the Gold Spike’s 150th anniversary, which will include presentations on the impact of the Transcontinental Railroad on the American West, an official proclamation, and a reception.
Related article: Stanford Historical Society plans railroad sesquicentennial events (Stanford News Service, Oct. 23, 2018)
Film Series at Stanford
Over the course of six weeks, the Stanford Historical Society and Stanford Continuing Studies will present a series of films, each introduced by historians, film scholars, and researchers, that will attempt to put these historical events in perspective. A discussion will follow each screening.
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Monday, April 15 |
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| Monday, April 22 | |
| Monday, April 29 | |
| Monday, May 6 |
American Experience: “The Transcontinental Railroad” (2003), PBS |
| Monday, May 13 |
“Once Upon a Time in the West” (1968), directed by Sergio Leone |
| Monday, May 20 |
Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project
150th Anniversary of the Golden Spike: Chinese Railroad Workers and the Transcontinental Railroad
On April 11 at Stanford, the organizers of this research project at Stanford will explore their newly recovered history of the Chinese immigrant workers who helped build the Transcontinental Railroad.
Image: Ceremony of the driving of the "Last Spike" at Promontory Summit, UT, on May 10, 1869, joining the rails of the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad. Painting by Thomas Hill (1829–1908). Source: Wikimedia Commons
