Craigellachie…Driving in the Last Spike

Craigellachie, which loosely translates to “hill of rock”, is a small National Historic Site located on Highway 1, west of the city of Revelstoke, B.C. The site is important as it was here that the “last spike” for a Canadian transcontinental railway was driven in on November 7, 1885. With this historic event, the Canadian Pacific Railway joined the province of British Columbia with the rail-line running from the province of Ontario. The railway took four years to build, and at a length of 4700 km, it was the longest railway to be constructed at that time. Building the railway was not without difficulties and controversy. The route chosen provided challenges with hard rock to blast and level, as well as mountain passes to overcome. Also, much of the land across the prairies was settled by the First Nations and Metis, and the construction of the railroad meant a loss of much of their traditional territory. For more about the importance of the railway for Canada check out my blog.

https://meanderingmyway.com/2021/02/06/craigallachie-b-c/