Thousand Mile Tree

The original Thousand Mile Tree was found standing along the Weber River, adjacent to the under-construction grade of the westbound Union Pacific section of the transcontinental line in what is known as Wilhelmina's Pass, at an elevation of 5,257 feet (1,602 m) above sea level.

According to Utah rail historian and writer Don Strack, in his article Eastbound To Wahsatch—Union Pacific's Route Through Weber and Echo Canyons,[3] about one week following 15 January 1869, the “tracks reached the site of a large tree, 90 feet (27 m) tall, that happened to be exactly 1,000 miles from Omaha, and soon a sign was hung from the tree clearly stating that fact.

"The tree was in the middle of a gorge between Henefer in the Upper Weber Valley and Devil’s Slide, a unique geological formation of twin limestone ridges running vertically from the canyon floor.

The gorge just east of Devil’s Slide was named Wilhelmina's Pass and was the subject of several views by Union Pacific’s official photographer A. J. Russell for his stereographic tour of the new line.

Although the gorge was changed significantly to accommodate today’s Interstate 84, most early trains stopped to allow passengers to appreciate the landmark, and several excursion trains from Ogden were arranged to see Wilhelmina's Pass, the Thousand Mile Tree, and Devil’s Slide.” By 1900, the original Thousand Mile Tree had died and it was removed in September of that year.