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Alaskan Collaboration Secures Auction Victory for Railroad’s Golden Spike at Anchorage Museum

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ANKORAGE, Alaska — A historic golden spike, which marked the completion of the Alaska Railroad over a century ago, is set to be permanently showcased in Alaska for the first time. A coalition comprised of the Anchorage Museum, the city of Nenana, private donors, and support from the Alaska Railroad successfully acquired the 14-karat artifact during an auction at Christie’s in New York, placing the highest bid of $201,600. This amount significantly surpassed the auction’s top estimate of $50,000 and included a 26% buyer’s premium.

“We are excited to collaborate with Nenana to present this piece of history to the public,” expressed Julie Decker, the Anchorage Museum’s director and CEO. “The Golden Spike serves as a profound narrative reflecting both the place and its people.” The plan entails alternating exhibitions of the spike between the two locations.

Nenana Mayor Joshua Verhagen commented on the endeavor, stating, “It’s a wonderful representation of an urban and rural community uniting for a meaningful cause. I am eager to collaborate and reconnect our communities through the Golden Spike once again.”

The effort to construct the railroad spanned nine years, starting in 1914, with the aim to connect the coastal city of Seward to Fairbanks, which is 470 miles (756 kilometers) inland. This government initiative was designed to facilitate the easy transport of coal and various minerals from Alaska’s interior.

U.S. Army Col. Frederick Mears was the principal engineer overseeing the project, although he was reassigned to Seattle just four months before its completion. In appreciation for his work, the city of Anchorage presented him with the golden spike, which he promptly sent back to Seattle for a ceremony where President Warren G. Harding would be present.

On July 15, 1923, at a site near Nenana, Harding lightly tapped the 5 1/2-inch (14-centimeter) spike twice before replacing it with a regular spike to secure the final connection. After the ceremony, the spike returned to Mears, and soon after, Harding left for Washington, D.C., only to pass away from a heart attack on August 2, 1923, in San Francisco.

The golden spike has remained outside of Alaska for many years, having been owned by an undisclosed seller in California since 1983 before being placed on auction. Christopher June, a specialist at Christie’s, stated that it was a privilege to oversee the sale of this essential piece of Alaska’s heritage. “Knowing that this significant artifact will become accessible to the people of my home state makes this acquisition even more special,” remarked the Anchorage native.