Leland Stanford, Gold Spike, Promontory Utah
Leland Stanford
Born: March 9, 1824 in Watervliet, New York
Died: 1893, Palo Alto, California
Leland Stanford was a merchant, lawyer, and politician. Leland Stanford moved to California in 1852 with gold fever. Leland Stanford succeeded in making a fortune selling supplies to the California gold miners
In 1861, Leland Stanford became governor of California and in the same year bought stock in the Central Pacific Railroad
The big four investors of the Central Pacific Railroad in 1863 were Collis Huntington, Mark Hopkins and Charles Crocker and President Leland Stanford
On May 10, 1869 at Promontory, Utah, Leland Stanford hit the golden spike to join the Transcontinental Railroad. Much to his chagrin Leland Stanford missed the spike with his sledge hammer on the first attempt
Leland Stanford 's talent was in high demand as the President for the Southern Pacific Railroad for five years
In 1885 Leland Stanford founded Stanford University
Leland Stanford was elected to the United States Senate which Leland Stanford held until his death
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