Great Northern Railway Reaches Seattle

On July 22, 1893, the Great Northern Railway drove the final spike near Scenic, Washington, connecting St. Paul to Seattle and completing James J. Hill's vision of a northern transcontinental route. Unlike subsidized competitors, the GN was built without federal land grants, relying on careful engineering through the Cascade Mountains via Stampede Tunnel and innovative low-gradient design. This event spurred massive economic growth in the Pacific Northwest, enabling efficient transport of lumber, wheat, and passengers. It solidified Hill's empire and competed directly with the Northern Pacific, leaving a lasting legacy in American railroading and western expansion.