Electrical Engineering Milestone Transcontinental Telegraph -- Fort Laramie NHS
N 42° 12.232 W 104° 33.453
13T E 536525 N 4672506
Two historic markers on this obelisk tell the story of the the First Transcontinental Telegraph.
Waymark Code: WMK2F1
Location: Wyoming, United States
Date Posted: 02/02/2014
Views: 3
Fort Laramie was not only an important link in the chain of forts protecting the Oregon and Mormon emigrant Trails, it also became a key communications post responsible for protecting and repeating signals along the Transcontinental Telegraph.
Two historic markers on this obelisk between the Post Store and the cavalry barracks tell the tale of the crowning communications achievement of the 19th century -- the Transcontinental Telegraph.
The first marker reads as follows:
"ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING MILESTONE
TRANSCONTINENTAL TELEGRAPH
Between July 4 and October 24, 1861, a telegraph line was constructed by the western Union Telegraph Co. between St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California, thereby completing the first high-speed communications link between the Atlantic and the Pacific coasts. This service met the critical demand for fast communication between these two areas. This telegraph line operated until May, 1869, when it was replaced by a multi-wire system constructed with the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroad lines.
August 1990
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"
The second marker reads:
"FORT LARAMIE AND THE TRANSCONTINENTAL TELEGRAPH
The Transcontinental Telegraph reached Fort Laramie from the east on August 5, 1861. From then until May, 1869, Fort Laramie was a major station on the telegraph line. Soldiers from Fort Laramie protected the line, made repairs, and operated remote repeater stations from Julesburg, Colorado (150 miles to the east) to South Pass, Wyoming (300 miles to the west).
Dedicated August 5, 1990
By the Denver Section of the
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"
FIRST - Classification Variable: Item or Event
Date of FIRST: 10/24/1861
More Information - Web URL: [Web Link]
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