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Welcome to 2019!

The Sesquicentennial of the Golden Spike

May 10, 2019 marks the 150th Anniversary of the completion of America's First Transcontinental Railroad, an extraordinary event that shaped the future of our country - one of the world's greatest technological accomplishments! Join with Travel Town and other museums, communities and businesses across America in celebrating this Great Event throughout the year. Click the logo link at the bottom of the page to view Union Pacific's website with lots of information about the Sesquicentennial and many related events.

The Chinese-American Heritage Foundation honored the Great Event with this outstanding float in Pasadena's Tournament of Roses Parade on New Years Day. The colorful float entitled "Harmony Through Union" depicted the historic meeting of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads and the driving of the Golden Spike at Promontory, Utah on May 10, 1869. The float featured full-size replicas of the Central Pacific "Jupiter" and Union Pacific's "No. 119" posed head to head as they were at Promontory during the Golden Spike ceremony 150 years ago.)

Revisiting Andrew J. Russel's famous photograph of the original event, "East and West shaking hands at the laying of the last rail" - often noted as the most recognizable photograph in America. (Source: Wikipedia Commons via Yale University Library, photo restoration by Adam Cuerden)

◀ Click this logo to be redirected to the official Union Pacific webpage for more information on the Sesquicentennial.

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Foundation is to educate the public about railroad history as it pertains to the development of the Southwest Region of the United States, particularly the Los Angeles area. We fulfill this mission by supporting the restoration, operation, and interpretation of the historic railroad equipment at the City-operated Travel Town Museum in Griffith Park.

The Foundation supports Travel Town by helping the Department of Recreation & Parks to fund and administer the Museum's volunteer programs, restoration projects and educational outreach efforts. Many of the Museum's programs and activities are funded through grants and donations along with proceeds from our Museum Gift Shop.

We hope you will come for a visit and experience all the Park has to offer you and your family. Become a member, volunteer, shop in the Gift Shop, take a Docent Tour, ride the train and, most of all, keep the rails alive! See you soon!

The Travel Museum Town Foundation is a dba of the American Southwestern Railway Association, Inc.,
a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working in partnership with the City of Los Angeles, Department of Recreation & Parks