Ten Mile Day and the Building of the Transcontinental Railroad
In 1869, a group of hardworking Chinese railroad workers were given an almost impossible challenge: lay ten whole miles of railroad track in just one day. If they could do it, they would earn four times their usual pay. No one had ever tried anything like it before.
On May 10, 1869, the last spike of America’s first transcontinental railroad was hammered into place at Promontory Summit, Utah. But before that historic moment, these workers faced their biggest test. Railroad leader Charles Crocker even bet $10,000 that his crews could set a world record by building ten miles of track in a single day.
With the help of the author’s detailed, dramatic paintings, this book brings to life one of the greatest adventure stories of the American West. Kids will see how teamwork, strength, and determination helped the Chinese workers achieve something truly extraordinary—and how their efforts helped connect the entire country.
