This Tiny Town In Colorado Is About To Change What You Knew About History

A few people in Colorado have heard of the town of Strasburg, fewer have driven through it, and even less have actually visited this town.

If you were to imagine this scope in the context of the entire United States, you are probably more likely to find people who have seen Bigfoot than ones who know of the out-of-the-way town of Strasburg. Don’t let that fool you; this little town celebrates an event that will change what you thought you knew about American history.

Daniel McAdams Photography

Daniel McAdams Photography

Many people were taught in history class about the "Golden Spike" ceremony in Utah on May 10, 1869, which commemorated the joining of the eastern United States with the west via the first transcontinental railroad.

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Daniel McAdams Photography

But, there is an important catch: this transcontinental railroad, formed by the Union Pacific and Central Pacific, had a "gap" in Omaha, as there were no railroad bridges that crossed the Missouri River at the time. Instead, passengers and cargo had to disembark their train, board a ferry, and re-board a train on the other side of the river.

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Daniel McAdams Photography

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Daniel McAdams Photography

At this point in history, the ferry was considered a part of the railroad system, which allowed the UP&CP to claim they had completed the first transcontinental railway.

Daniel McAdams Photography

Daniel McAdams Photography

Daniel McAdams Photography

If you ask the curators of the Comanche Crossing Museum, they will tell you this is one serious political ploy on the part of President Ulysses Grant. Grant had taken office only months before and wanted to kick off his term with the transcontinental railroad on his record.

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Daniel McAdams Photography

Enter Strasburg and the Kansas Pacific Railroad. Strasburg was named “Comanche Crossing” when the town was first formed, and on August 15, 1870, a major historic event took place that received next to no media coverage.

According to The Comanche Crossing Historical Society & Museum: “On August 15, 1870, the last 10 and 1/4 miles of track were laid by two crews, one working from the east and one from the west in a record-breaking nine hours. Fifteen months earlier, the golden spike ceremony had been held in Utah, to note the joining by rail of the eastern United States with the west. But the tracks joined at Promontory Summit connected only Omaha and Sacramento in a continuous chain. With the completion of the rails at Strasburg it became possible, at last, to board a train in New York and travel all the way to San Francisco by rail.”

I bet you weren’t expecting to hear that! The railroad running through Kansas City, however, was not a major line like the UP&CP railroad running through Utah – which is why this event received such little fanfare.

You can visit Strasburg and the Comanche Crossing Museum to see the marker of this historic event for yourself, but this museum is only open July 1 through August 31. Who knew that, right here in Colorado, we had such a major historic event take place?

For more information about this amazing (and little known) piece of American history, check out the rgusrail website. If you are interested in visiting the Comanche Crossing Museum, click here for details.