This project, funded by the National Park Service, documents the history of the Golden Spike National Historic Site. The interviews were conducted in 1974 by Gregory Thompson and Phil Notarianni in conjunction with the American West Center.
Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library's
Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.
Transferred from the American West Center in 1981.
Transferred from the American West Center in 2007.
Processed by Karen Carver in 2010.
Adams (b. 1888) talks about growing up in Promontory, neighbors, visiting Snowville, Rattlesnake Pass, and Snowville, Utah. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 18 pages.
Anderson (b. 1900) recalls growing up west of Corinne, Utah. Her family took their cattle to the Promontory area every summer. She describes the area and talks about the people who lived in the area. Other topics include conflict between the Irish and Chinese, Crockers ranch, Captain Bufford, Leland Stanford letting stock loose in the area, Holly ranch, passenger trains, the telegraph line, freighting, a robbery in Corinne, the prohibition of liquor, and World War I. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 31 pages.
Anderson continues with a description of Chinese labor in the area, bandits, brakemen, freight cars, the Golden Spike, Wilson Wright, the federal government, National Parks, veterans organizations, and Heber Sessions. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 29 pages.
Correspondence regarding establishing Promontory Summit as a national monument. Unpublished manuscript by Anderson (100 pages).
Anderson (b. 1895) recalls growing up in the Snowville/Promontory area. Topics include cattle roundups, Kelton, Park Valley, the Houghton Store, trains, the steamboat "City of Corrine," automobiles, social activities, first radio and television broadcasts, and the marker at Promontory. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 34 pages.
Baltazar (b. 1896) discusses his emigration from Mexico to the United States, employment by the railroad, working and living in Promontory, livestock, Italians, labor unions, the Depression, education, and social activities in Promontory. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 42 pages.
Brough (b. 1885) details her genealogy and discusses homesteading in the Promontory area. Other topics include the Bar-M ranch, mustangs, Lavina Rock, the towns of Wells and Fernley, social activities, the WPA, and World War II. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 34 pages.
Clay (b. 1884) was born in a company house at Promontory, where his father was the night telegraph operator. He describes the buildings and landscape. Other topics include engines, section men, Utah Hot Springs, trains, hobos, and the first Model-T coup. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 26 pages.
Finn (b. 1886) was born in Arkansas, but the family moved to Utah, where his father was a section foreman for the railroad. According to his father, the outlaw Jesse James was employed by the railroad in Green River, Wyoming. Finn talks about life in Willard, Utah. Other topics include a sugar factory in Ogden, Church Island, mustangs, the Bar-M ranch, price of alcoholic beverages, transportaion, rattlesnakes, and the impact of the railroad on the cattle industry. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 32 pages.
Gerristen (b. 1912) talks about her parents and life in Promontory. Topics include social events, the Golden Spike monument, Montello and Kelton, the mail, the Houghton store, the post office, and steamships on the Great Salt Lake. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 29 pages.
Harmon (b. 1901) describes his training and apprenticesip as a telegraph operator. He worked throughout the west. Topics discussed include the Oregon Short Line, Brigham City, Thiokol, Tremonton, Malad, freighting, the Southern Pacific, Western Union, World War II and the Lucin Cutoff, Cash Junction, and Shoshone, Idaho. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 23 pages.
Ipsen (b. 1892) recalls her childhood in Northern Utah. She describes Corrine, Promontory, Blue Creek, and Tremonton. Topics discussed include winters, social events, cow punchers, ranch life, quilt making, cooking, electricity, and Chines laborers. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 28 pages.
Lower (b. 1913) grew up in Corrine. The family later moved to Promontory, where her father was a straw boss on the Browning ranch. She talks about Japanese farmers, section hand houses, the Central Pacific, mustangs, a buggy ride, the Houghton store, delivering the mail, loading grain on the train, a federal government farm project, and social activities. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 29 pages.
Madsen, a professor of history, talks about early freighting in northern Utah, southern Idaho, and western Wyoming. He also discusses the Halley Stage Company, the Oregon Short Line, the towns of Kelton and Corrine, dry farming, irrigation, Chinese workers, and the Lucin Cutoff. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 11 pages.
Murray (b. 1901) recalls teaching school in the Promontory area. He also talks about freighting, Park Valley, Promontory station, railroad buildings, the climate, and the history of the Golden Spike. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 33 pages.
Nagata (b. 1918) grew up in the Corinne area, where her father raised sugar beets and hay. She talks about the Japanese community, beets, freighting, railroad section men, and difficulties during World War II. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 33 pages.
Nelson (b. 1899) was born in Brigham City, Utah, but lived and worked in the Promontory area for much of his life. He was a section foreman. He talks about the Houghtons store, railroad siding at Cosmo, freighting, the government nitrogen plant, riding the train, Locomotive Springs, and buildings at Promontory. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 20 pages.
Nicholas (b. 1907) was born in Willard, Utah, although his family had homesteaded on Promontory. He talks about farming, the Promontory mustangs, horse breaking, employment in the area, freighters, well drilling, the Houghton and Whittaker families, dances, Lee's Ferry, homesteading, Becko Beer, social activities, and religion. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 38 pages.
Owens (b. 1909) grew up on a farm near Promontory. She talks about teaching, mustangs, section houses, Houghton's boarding house, mail-order catalogs, the Blue House, steamboats on the Great Salt Lake, winters, Kelton, Chinese workers, and Mr. Yagi. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 38 pages.
Phillips (b. 1906) grew up on a small farm in the Promontory area. She talks about rabbit drives, the railroad station and store, train rides, field fires, mustangs, water, section men, school days, Brigham City, Kelton, Corinne, and Chinese railroad workers. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 25 pages.
Pucci (b. 1898) was born in Italy. He came to this country in 1915 to work on the Southern Pacific railroad. He talks about section men and section houses, train accidents, Italians in Ogden, the Promontory station, the Lucin Cutoff, Italian social life, and a trip back to Italy. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 42 pages.
Rich (b. 1919) talks about Russians in Park Valley, farming, the Houghton store, Corinne, engines, the water situation, zodiac signs and farming, fuel, the old school house, Blue Creek, and the golden spike visitors center. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 28 pages.
Roche (b. 1895) talks about Brigham Young, the Bar-B ranch, Foss Valley, Thiokol, mustangs, an oil well, White Valley, freighting, Haley, families, and Foxley. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 22 pages.
Roche (b. 1896) grew up on a ranch outside of Corinne, Utah. He talks about ranching, the Browning Land and Livestock Company, Lindsey Land and Livestock, the Russian settlement, road grading near Promontory, the Blue House, railroad sidings, water, Motello, and the Lucin cutoff. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 18 pages.
Rockwell (b. 1920) recalls his family and childhood in Iowa, going to work for the railroad in 1937, military service, the Union Pacific Magazine, Bernice Anderson, the Utah Golden Spike Centennial Commission, Bill Kruiger, the Southern Pacific railroad, the Utah Travel Council, Thomas Goodfellow, and the centennial celebration. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 18 pages.
Sessions (b. 1885) begins with a brief overview of his life, then talks about being a telegraph operator for the Union Pacific railroad. Other topics include freighting, Brigham Young and the Utah Central railroad, section men, railroad laborers, union organization and strikes, telegraphy, and descriptions of various towns in the area. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 26 pages.
Yagi (b. 1918) was born in Ogden, Utah, and describes his genealogy and childhood. He talks about the Walker River Paiutes, sections crews, Corinne, farming, grain and cattle shipping, wintertime and the trains, and the school house at Promontory. Interviewed by Greg Thompson and Phil Notarianni. 29 pages.