Craigellachie British Columbia - Canada's "Last Spike" was a plain iron spike driven at Craigellachie, British Columbia, on the morning of 7 November 1885 at 09:22 hours.
 
A plain iron spike was driven into a wooden tie by Donald Smith, later to become Lord Strathcona, watched by a small group of people including William Cornelius Van Horne, recently appointed vice-president of the company.
 
When it was suggested to Van Horne a gold spike be used for the occasion he replied, "The last spike will be just as good an iron one as there is between Montreal and Vancouver, and anyone who wants to see it driven will have to pay full fare."
 
When asked to speak at the ceremony his taciturn response was, "All I can say is that the work has been well done in every way."
 
This ceremonial driving of the Last Spike signalled the end of construction of a railway now physically linking Montreal with the Pacific Ocean.
 
The federal government established National Railway Day to emphasize the importance of this symbol of national unity.
 
Learn more about Canadian Pacific Railway's Last Spike in this article.

William Slim.