Canadian Pacific Railway Completion

On May 21, 1885, the last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway was hammered into place at Craigellachie in British Columbia's Eagle Pass. This event marked the culmination of a massive engineering project that overcame the formidable Rocky Mountains using steep grades, trestles, and tunnels. Key figures included William Cornelius Van Horne, who managed construction, and Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald, whose vision unified the young Dominion. Early motive power consisted of 4-4-0 steam locomotives hauling passenger and freight trains. The railway spurred massive immigration, resource development, and national cohesion, much like the U.S. transcontinental line. Its lasting impact endures in modern freight corridors and Via Rail passenger services.