Ames Monument

Photo: Historic American Buildings Survey License: Public Domain

Dedicated to brothers Oakes Ames and Oliver Ames, the monument is a four-sided, random ashlar pyramid, 60 feet square at the base and 60 feet high, constructed of light-colored native granite. It was completed in 1882.

The Ames family commissioned this monument to honor the memory of Oakes and Oliver Ames for their role in the building of the Union Pacific Railroad. The structure was designed by architect H.H. Richardson, with medallions by sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. It stood at the highest point on the transcontinental railroad until 1918, when the railroad was moved several miles south.