Golden spike

Okay kiddo, let me tell you about the golden spike.

Do you know what a railroad is? It's like a big train track that runs all over the country.

A long time ago, people wanted to connect the east and the west of the United States with a railroad. But it was really hard to build because there were mountains and deserts in the way!

Finally, in the year 1869, the workers building the railroad got really close to each other. One team was building from the east and the other team was building from the west. They met up in a place called Promontory Summit, in the state of Utah.

Everyone was so excited because they were finally going to connect the country with a railroad. So, they had a big party and they put the final piece of track in place.

And that final piece of track was a special golden spike! It was made out of solid gold and it had writing on it that said "May God continue the unity of our Country as this Railroad unites the two great Oceans of the world."

The golden spike was really special because it marked the exact spot where the two teams met and the railroad was complete. And it was made out of gold, which made it extra valuable and cool!

Now, people still visit the spot where the golden spike was placed. They have a big ceremony every year to remember the importance of the railroad and the golden spike.

So, that's the story of the golden spike. It was a really important part of American history and it helped to connect the country with a railroad.