BRIGHAM CITY – The Golden Spike State Monument, located at 2000 W. Forest Street in Brigham City, is taking shape with hopes of having the 4.5 acres landscaped and structures finished by late summer 2026.
Brigham City owns eight acres of ground where the monument is being built and what is not being used will remain as wetlands.
A relief from the 43′ tall Golden Spike Monument sculpture was parked in front of the site turned vertical shows the representation of the steam locomotive on Thursday June 26, 2025.
The transformation of sagebrush and wild grass to the Golden Spike State Monument will honor the people and the work they performed to connect the United States with the first transcontinental railroad.
On Thursday, June 26, the Golden Spike Foundation held a Park Preview event where they hung large renderings which illustrated each feature paired with flags placed throughout the park to mark their location within the 8-acre property.
The 43’-tall Golden Spike Monument sculpture created by artist Douwe Blumberg was parked in front of the site will bring travelers to the monument. It was laying on a flatbed trailer for people to inspect.
The sculpture celebrates the building of the railroad. The sculpture gives “faces to the faceless” and truly celebrates the building of the railroad connecting the east and west sides of the country.
Members of the Golden Spike Foundation were out in force at the spot talking to all interested parties about their plans.
The panels hung on a chain-link fence showed the innovative landscape designs and locations for each key element of the state monument: Golden Spike Monument, Karen & Scott Keller Welcome Center, Scott A. Neilson Amphitheater, David Eccles Plaza, Kem C. & Carolyn Gardner Pavilion, Wadsworth Bridge, Sorenson Legacy Foundation Court, the President Abraham Lincoln bust, and trails.
The Golden Spike Foundation set up a Park Preview on Thursday June 26, 2025 for people to get a look at what the monument will look like when finished.
Robyn Kremer, the president of the GSF, said the displays will bring the vision for each key element of this compelling story to life.
“We need to keep the Golden Spike story alive,” she said. “We hope people will see the golden spike from the freeway, stop and see the monument, read about what happened there and head to the where the magic happened.”
Although the monument will sit on 8 acres of Brigham City-owned property, it only takes up 4.5 acres and the rest will remain as wetlands.
“With the generous support from our donors and amazing help of our friends, we are previewing a park worthy of the transcontinental railroad story itself,” Kremer said. “The 150-year-plus story of hard work, innovation, and transformation of our nation will capture the attention of the next generation and live in this space for the next 150 years. We can’t wait to open the park to the visitors next summer.”
The Golden Spike sculpture is a lasting legacy from the foundation’s Spike 150 celebration on May 10, 2019, which marked the 150th anniversary of the driving of the last spike that joined the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads in Utah to form America’s first transcontinental railroad.
Panels were attached to a chain-link Fence showing what the monument will look like when finished on Thursday June 26, 2025.
The Golden Spike Foundation, with generous support from public and private donors, has undertaken the construction of the Golden Spike State Monument. The parcel for the state monument was purchased by Brigham City. In 2024, the Utah State Legislature allocated $2 million for site construction. LOCI, a Utah-based landscape design firm, designed the park, and Cirque Studio is responsible for the design of the welcome center. Golden Spike State Monument is expected to open in the late summer of 2026.
The GSF unveiled renderings Thursday of the innovative landscape designs and details for key elements of the Golden Spike State Monument in Brigham City to donors and dignitaries.
The Golden Spike Foundation is a Utah-based non-profit spotlighting the diverse people who worked side-by-side building the transcontinental railroad. In 2019, GSF partnered with local, state, and national organizations to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad.