On This Date in Minnesota History: February 15

February 15, 1870 – “A groundbreaking ceremony was held [on this date] for the Northern Pacific Railroad line at Northern Pacific Junction, later called Carlton. The line to the Pacific Ocean was completed September 8, 1883, with the same spike used to begin construction in Minnesota. It was the first single-company transcontinental line.”

http://www.thehistorypeople.com/data/docs/timeline-part1.pdf

Photo taken by Pamela J. Erickson. Released into the public domain Feb. 15, 2014,
as long as acknowledgement included.