BOX ELDER COUNTY – People in Box Elder County are very busy getting ready for one of the biggest events to ever hit Promontory Summit. They’re expecting thousands of people to come for the 150th Anniversary of the Golden Spike ceremony.
Golden Spike National Historic Park is one of the biggest tourism attractions in Box Elder County, anyway. However, this year, County Tourism Director Joan Hammer is expecting visitor numbers to be through the roof.
“As a county, all of our hotels are booked,” according to Hammer, adding, ““[People are looking for] Air BNB or anything where people can stay, they’re looking for places, still.”
For the first time, the Golden Spike celebration isn’t just on May 10th. Event organizers planned activities throughout the weekend, in honor of the sesquicentennial. County Commissioner Jeff Scott says this is the kind of event they have take full advantage of by promoting everything they have to do in the county.
“It really gives us a chance to showcase what’s happening in Box Elder County, not just for the sesquicentennial and the Golden Spike,” he says.
Plus, he says they’re already getting more national attention since the site was named a national historic park, instead of a national historic site.
“It just gets the word out to more people,” Scott says.