If you saw a 43-ft-tall golden spike make it’s way through Lexington yesterday, it wasn’t your imagination. The Golden Spike was in town for the kickoff celebration of the “Driving of the Spike” Monument tour at Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate.
About the monument
The Golden Spike — a larger version of the spikes used to “mark the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869" — was created by Kentucky artist Douwe Blumberg over the course of 28 months. The piece is intended to honor the tens of thousands of workers who built the transcontinental railroad.
About the tour
The tour aims to spread awareness about the hard work of the transcontinental railroad workers + will take place throughout the month of October. Stops include St. Louis, MO; Golden, CO; and Cheyenne, WY; the tour will end in Salt Lake City, UT on Tuesday, Oct. 24.