Harding in Nenana, Alaska, just days before he died in office, which marked the completion of the Alaska Railroad over a century ago. Credit: AP. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy.
Work on the nine-year railroad construction project began in , linking the Pacific Ocean port city of Seward on the south-central coast to Fairbanks, miles kilometers away. It was a government infrastructure project intended to bring coal and other minerals easily out of interior Alaska. Army Col. Frederick Mears, who was transferred to Seattle four months before completion.
The city of Anchorage thanked him for his work by presenting him the golden spike. Harding drives the final golden spike at the new Alaska Railroad bridge in Nenana, Alaska.
Shortly after, the spike was returned to Mears in Seattle and Harding headed back to Washington but died of a fatal heart Aug. The spike has remained in private hands out of Alaska since. An unidentified seller in California had owned the spike since before putting it up for auction.
The Anchorage Museum is shown Wednesday, Jan. FeedMe: 8-Bit Bites burger spot Weather look ahead Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV. Get more on these and other NewsdayTV stories. Get the Breaking News newsletter! Get the latest breaking news as it happens.
