Commissioned by the Union Pacific Railroad, the Ames Monument is a memorial to the Ames brothers, Oakes and Oliver, for their contributions to the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. Their strong support, drive and influence were instrumental in completing the Union Pacific section of the railroad. Finished in 1882, the Monument is located near the highest elevation (8,247 feet) of the Transcontinental Railroad route.
Lincoln's Vision
President Abraham Lincoln considered his signing of the Pacific Railway Act of 1862, which made building the Transcontinental Railroad possible, one of the crowning achievements of his presidency. However, by 1865, little progress was made on the construction of the Union Pacific portion of the line. Oakes Ames, admired for his willingness to take on difficult tasks, was referred to by President Lincoln as the "broad shouldered Ames." Lincoln appealed to his friend Oakes, who was a member of the Congressional Committee on Railroads, to help move his vision forward. The Ames bothers initially invested a million dollars of their own money in the railroad and encouraged other capitalists to invest another $1.5 million.
Oakes Ames (1804-1873)
Oakes Ames was an American businessman and member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts. While in Congress, he became one of the most influential supporters of the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. Oakes believed strongly in Lincoln's vision that constructing the Transcontinental Railroad was vital to the nation's future. Abraham Lincoln took Oakes into his confidence. "Ames, you take hold of this." the president told him. "The road must be built, and you are the man to do it. Take hold of it yourself...."
Oliver Ames (1807-1877)
Oliver Ames, Jr. managed the Ames shovel manufacturing company. Soon after Oliver and his brother Oakes inherited the business from their father, the discovery of gold in California, the expansion of the railroads, and the Civil War drove the demand for quality shovels - and made the Ames brothers wealthy men. Oliver Ames, a bright, skillful manager and meticulous bookkeeper, served as president of the Union Pacific during the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad.
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