<P> Several years after the end of the Civil War , the competing railroads coming from Missouri finally realized their initial strategic advantage and a building boom ensued . In July 1869 , the H&SJ finished the Hannibal Bridge in Kansas City which was the first bridge to cross the Missouri River . This in turn connected to Kansas Pacific trains going from Kansas City to Denver , which in turn had built the Denver Pacific Railway connecting to the Union Pacific . In August 1870 , the Kansas Pacific drove the last spike connecting to the Denver Pacific line at Strasburg , Colorado and the first true Atlantic to Pacific United States railroad was completed . </P>
<P> Several years after the end of the Civil War , the competing railroads coming from Missouri finally realized their initial strategic advantage and a building boom ensued . In July 1869 , the H&SJ finished the Hannibal Bridge in Kansas City which was the first bridge to cross the Missouri River . This in turn connected to Kansas Pacific trains going from Kansas City to Denver , which in turn had built the Denver Pacific Railway connecting to the Union Pacific . In August 1870 , the Kansas Pacific drove the last spike connecting to the Denver Pacific line at Strasburg , Colorado and the first true Atlantic to Pacific United States railroad was completed . </P>
when did they finish building the transcontinental railroad
when did they finish building the transcontinental railroad
August 1870
August 1870