Show Utah Prepares For Golden Spike Event It was a wind-swept wind sagebrush sagebrush sagebrush sage sage- brush flat shielded in a low valley by drab brown hills in inthe inthe inthe the north of Utah hardly the ideal place for an event which I Iwas was to mark a whole new age in I American history YET IT WAS in such place a I Ia a days day's wagon ride west of Corinne Corinne Cor- Cor inne where the rails of the Central Central Central Cen Cen- Pacific and Union Pacific were joined in 1869 hastening i the end of the vast western fron fron- fronI I tier I The anniversary of the driving dri ving of the last spike of the Pacific Railroad at Promontory Promontory Promontory tory will be celebrated by May 10 1969 in the midst of pageantry rivaling only that which surrounded the actual completion of the railroad I THE GOLDEN Spike Centennial Centennial Centennial Centen Centen- nial Commission created by bythe bythe the Utah Legislature in 1965 to plan the anni anniversary of the west east-west tie has formulated a tentative ve celebration program calling for a nationwide ance In its year and a half of operation operation operation oper oper- the c com commission o m m i is s s i ion o n has planned a comprehensive centennial centennial centennial cen cen- tennial program for 1969 in including including including in- in an exhibition marking a century of transportation progress ress THE COMMISSIONS COMMISSION'S fi final n a 1 plans will evolve from its ap appropriation appropriation appropriation ap- ap from the 1967 legislature legislature legislature leg leg- which meets in Jan Jan- uary The centennial group is requesting to implement implement implement ment its plans The Utah Travel Council will work cooperatively with the commission to provide publicity and advertising Highlight of the celebration will be a re-enactment re years later of the ceremony which took place at 1247 pm p.m. May lay 10 1869 when the first blows in the driving of the final spike were telegraphed tel e gr aph e d from remote Promontory to the w waiting a it in g world OTHER ACTIVITIES s sug suggested u g- g for the centennial observation observation observation include the staging of parades pa parades pa- pa rades rodeos queen contests national winter sports and other athletic contests special rail excursions national and international international international inter inter- national conventions art exhibitions exhibitions exhibitions and other cuI cultural t u r a I events Gerreld L L. L acting director of the commission un until until until un- un til a permanent director is selected selected se selected se- se next spring said most northern Utah communities will share in the centennial ACCORDING TO the Golden Spike Centennial will willI include historical exhibits and anda I a collection of old century-old railroad railroad railroad rail rail- road equipment commemorating ing years of progress in transportation Promontory and the site of the completion of the historical railroad was declared a national I historical site in 1965 by President President Pres Pres- ident Johnson and as such has found itself a permanent place on the tourist map as well as in inthe inthe inthe I the history books |