Canadian Pacific Railway Golden Spike Ceremony

On June 17, 1885, financier Donald Smith drove the ceremonial last spike completing the Canadian Pacific Railway at Craigellachie. This 3,000-mile line connected eastern Canada to the Pacific coast, fulfilling a key condition of British Columbia's entry into Confederation. Overcoming immense engineering challenges including the Selkirk Mountains and Rogers Pass, the CPR used thousands of Chinese and European laborers. The achievement unified the young nation economically and politically, enabling rapid settlement of the prairies and establishing Canada as a continental power with reliable year-round transportation.