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Last Spike Memorial
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The Last Spike Memorial is a monument in the Ruapehu District of New Zealand. It marks the location where the "last spike" was driven in 1908 for the completion of the North Island Main Trunk line.
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Location
The monument is located about 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) north of the locality named Pokaka, immediately north of the Manganuioteao Viaduct, and a short distance south of the Makatote Viaduct.[2]
Description
A concrete obelisk was erected in early 1909.[1] The monument marks the location where the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, conducted a last spike ceremony on 6 November 1908.[3] A silver-plated spike was used, though the actual last spike was driven in about 300 m (980 ft) to the south, to complete work on the Manganuioteao Viaduct (then called Manganui-o-te-Ao),[3] where temporary tracks met on 3 August 1908. The monument is four-sided, 6 ft (1.8 m) high and 4 ft (1.2 m) across the base, with black lettering on a white marble slab. It was about 20 ft (6.1 m) to the west of the line,[1] but moved a further 10 ft (3.0 m) west in 1973. It is marked by road signs on State Highway 4 and a small carpark.[4]
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Recognition
As part of its "Engineering to 1990" project, the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ; now Engineering New Zealand Te Ao Rangahau) added the central section of the North Island Main Trunk line to its engineering heritage register.[5] In 1997, IPENZ put two new brass inscription plates on the monument.[3] On 10 December 2004, the monument was registered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (now Heritage New Zealand) as a Category II structure, with the registration number 7575.[3]
See also
- Golden spike (United States)
- Last spike (Canadian Pacific Railway)
References
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