Alaska's Golden Spike

On view June 1 - August 31, 2026 in the Gold Case in the Gallery of Alaska

An iconic piece of Alaska’s history, the Golden Spike symbolizes the completion of the Alaska Railroad. In 1923, the City of Anchorage presented the Golden Spike to Colonel Frederick Mears in recognition of his role in constructing the Alaska Railroad from 1914 to 1923. One of the chief engineers tasked with connecting Fairbanks and Seward via Anchorage, Col. Mears oversaw the railroad's surveying, construction, and completion. His accomplishments include the ambitious single-span trestle bridge crossing the Tanana River at Nenana. Now known as the Mears Memorial Bridge, this critical span was the final connecting piece of the Alaska Railroad.

 

In 1923, Col. Mears loaned the Golden Spike to President Warren G. Harding, who famously drove this “final spike” into the rails near Nenana on July 15. This marked the only time a sitting US President drove a railroad spike and the first time a US President visited Alaska. Today, the 656-mile Alaska Railroad continues to operate between Fairbanks in the north and the southerly deep-water port of Seward, supporting tourism and economic interests, including transporting natural resources from Alaska’s interior to the coast for export.

 

Jointly acquired by the Anchorage Museum and the City of Nenana to ensure that this important artifact of Alaska’s history will be held in the public trust and accessible for future generations, the Golden Spike will be on view in both locations on alternating schedules. For the summer of 2026, the UA Museum of the North is proud to share this item on loan from the Anchorage Museum and the City of Nenana.

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