Golden Spike U.S

National Park Service Golden Spike U.S. Department of the Interior Golden Spike National Historic Site P. O. Box 897 Brigham City, UT 84302 www.nps.gov/gosp A Moment In Time

The most famous photograph associated with the first transcontinental railroad is Andrew J. Russell’s “East and West Shaking Hands at Laying of Last Rail.” Commonly known as “The Champagne Photo,” Russell’s “East and West” was one of many glassplate exposures taken on May 10, 1869, by three photographers who were present at the Golden Spike Ceremony. More than any other image of that day, however, the champagne photo seems to capture a defining moment in our nation’s history.

THE CHAMPAGNE Following the driving of the last spike, Union upon the other’s locomotive. Samuel S. PHOTO Pacific engine No. 119 and Central Pacific’s Montague, Central Pacific’s Chief Engineer and Jupiter were run up until they nearly touched. his counterpart in the Union Pacific, Grenville Railroad officials retired to their cars, leaving the M. Dodge, shook hands to symbolize the end of engineers and workmen to celebrate. the race to build the nation’s first transcontinental railroad. This moment in time The champagne flowed and engineers George became immortalized in Andrew J. Russell’s Booth and Sam Bradford each broke a bottle famous photograph.

THE PHOTOGRAPHER Photographer Andrew J. Russell began his career addition, there was no camera shutter. The as an artist. As a commissioned officer in the photographer simply removed the lens cap and Civil War, he was assigned to special duty as replaced it when he guessed the time was about photographer for the U.S. Military Railroad right. Finally the photographer or his assistant Construction Corps. would develop the picture in a nearby portable darkroom. After the war, Russell went west to record images of the Union Pacific Railroad as it was built westward from Omaha, Nebraska. The result of his efforts is a collection of 650 10 x 13 inch glass plate negatives now in the Oakland Museum, Oakland, California.

The making of each photograph was a time- consuming process. The image was first composed on ground glass, then a sensitized glass plate was inserted in the camera. Chemicals for the plate had to be mixed on the spot and remain wet during the time of exposure. In

WHO’S WHO AT Photographs, diaries and other historic records members of the public from near and far were in PROMONTORY MAY 10, indicate that about 1,000 people participated in attendance. Although the crowd was mostly 1869 the celebration at Promontory Summit on May men, a small number of women and children 10, 1869. Politicians, officials of the Central were present. Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads, railroad workers (including a Chinese contingent from the Central Pacific), five companies of soldiers from the 21st U.S. Infantry Regiment, and

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