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Signs of change: Exploring Utah’s unique railroad legacy

There have been a lot of firsts that have occurred in Utah.

The world’s first parking meter was installed in Utah City in 1935. Vinita is the oldest incorporated town on Utah Route 66, being established in 1871. And, there are many more that make Utah an interesting and certainly unique place to live.

But of all the important firsts in Utah, perhaps the most important might have occurred at Promontory Summit in Box Elder County. Take a look at the history of Utah’s railroad, brought to you by Signs.com.

In the latter half of the 19th century, railroads were connecting our relatively new nation like never before. They replaced canal and river travel as the number one mode of transportation and shipping. The only problem was that the country was divided by the Rocky Mountains, making it extremely hard to traverse the entire nation. That all changed on May 10, 1869, when the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad met at Promontory Summit, where the famous “Last” spike (also known as the Golden Spike) was driven into the ground to connect the first transcontinental railroad.

This completed over 30 years of construction that ultimately revolutionized the western states and territories by connecting them to the “Union,” making the transportation of people and goods much quicker, cheaper and safer.

To say that the new railroad changed Salt Lake forever would be an understatement. In the next 40 years, the population surged. Railroads were big business and the need for adequate depots in Utah’s capitol to handle new visitors and immigrants was growing. What transpired was a fierce rivalry, two incredible buildings and some iconic signage.

In the early 1900’s, the competition for rail lines and rail links was a cutthroat affair. Nowhere was this more prevalent than out west, where two companies, The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad and the Union Pacific, sought control of the majority of rail links in the western states. Headed up by George Gould (D&GWR) and E. H. Harriman (UP), these rail companies used every trick in the book to maintain control, including bribery to keep the other from building new lines.

The Union Pacific controlled all the rail lines from Salt Lake west until Gould built his own line to San Francisco, opening up new travel routes to the Pacific. In doing so, he sucked his family fortune dry and eventually lost his railroad empire. But not before building the Rio Grande Depot in Salt Lake City. Interestingly enough, he opened his new depot only a couple years after Harriman opened the Union Pacific’s depot right up the street. And, not to be outdone, Gould built his depot for a cost of $750,000, almost doubling the cost of Harriman’s. Both buildings serve as a reminder of the power and grandeur that railroads once had.

Eventually the rivalry died, much like railroad travel itself. But the best part remains. Utahns were left with two beautifully designed buildings that are both on the National Register of Historic Places. For myself, I am partial to the large signs that sit on top of each building. When I moved to Salt Lake City, they were one of the first things I remember seeing. Currently, the Rio Grande Depot is owned by the State of Utah, managed by Utah Arts & Museums. Extensive remodels have kept the grand ol’ depot looking just as it did in 1911.

The Union Pacific Depot serves as an entrance to Salt Lake’s Gateway Mall, built for the 2002 Olympics. Although the depot is not in use, the splendid murals and stained glass depicting Utah’s history and the meeting at Promontory Summit remain.

Like the depots, the rail line at Promontory Summit is no longer in use. In fact, much of the rail was removed to help the WWII war effort. Today, Promontory Summit is the Golden Spike National Historic Site, where visitors can come and experience one of the most important events in our nation’s and definitely Utah’s history.