Canadian Pacific Railway Reaches Pacific

On July 29, 1883, the Canadian Pacific Railway drove its last spike at Craigellachie, British Columbia, linking eastern Canada to the Pacific Ocean. Engineer James Ross and contractor Andrew Onderdonk overcame Rocky Mountain tunnels and avalanches using innovative snow sheds. Prime Minister John A. Macdonald attended the ceremony, celebrating national unity after years of political struggle. The 4,600-kilometer route used powerful 4-4-0 locomotives and opened vast western territories to settlement and resource extraction. Its completion reshaped Canadian identity and commerce, remaining a vital freight corridor today.