A Step-by-Step Guide to Tracing America's Forgotten Railroad Spikes and the Towns They Built

The steel spikes that hammered the rails into the earth are long gone, but the towns they helped raise still whisper their stories. If you ever wondered how a single nail could shape a whole community, now is the perfect time to dig in. The rails are rusting, the maps are online, and the curiosity of a new generation is ready to bring those forgotten places back to life.

Why Look for Old Spikes?

Every spike was placed with a purpose: to hold a track steady across mountains, deserts, and river valleys. When a line was built, a depot often sprouted nearby, followed by a store, a school, and a handful of homes. Over the years many of those towns faded when the trains stopped running, but the footprints remain in old land records, cemetery stones, and even in the shape of the land itself.

Finding these places gives us a chance to:

See how engineering decisions shaped settlement patterns.
Preserve stories that would otherwise be lost.
Connect with the everyday people who lived beside the rails.

Step 1 – Pick a Region and a Time Frame

Start small. Choose a stretch of track that interests you—perhaps the old Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans line, or the Pacific Northwest’s timber routes. Then decide on a period, like the 1880s boom years or the post‑World War I decline. A clear focus keeps the research from turning into a wild goose chase.

Tip: My first adventure was along a forgotten branch in western Kansas. I chose 1895 because that year the line was extended to a new coal mine, and the town of “Spikeville” appeared on a single newspaper clipping.

Step 2 – Gather the Paper Trail

a. Historic Maps

The Library of Congress and many state archives have digitized railroad maps. Look for “railroad overlay” maps that show the tracks in relation to towns, rivers, and roads. Download the PDF and print a copy if you like working with a pen.

b. Land Records

County courthouses keep deeds that mention “right of way” or “railroad easement.” These documents often list the exact parcels where spikes were driven. You can request copies online or, if you’re near the county seat, spend a morning in the clerk’s office.

c. Newspaper Archives

Old newspapers love to announce a new depot or a “spike ceremony.” Websites like Chronicling America let you search by keyword and date. Write down any town names, dates, and the names of the railroad companies involved.

Step 3 – Identify the Spike Sites

Railroad spikes were usually placed at regular intervals—about 30 feet apart on straight sections. While you won’t find the metal today, you can locate the original spike holes by:

Using a metal detector: Set it to “low frequency” to pick up iron. Walk the old right‑of‑way at a slow pace; a faint beep may indicate a buried spike.
Looking for “spike marks” on stone walls: In some towns, the original spike holes were later filled with stone, leaving a faint line on the wall.
Checking cemetery markers: Many early railroad workers were buried near the tracks, and their tombstones sometimes note “railroad worker” or the name of the line.

Step 4 – Walk the Route

There’s nothing like feeling the wind on a ridge where a train once roared. Bring a notebook, a camera, and a good pair of boots. Follow the old right‑of‑way as shown on your map. When you spot a bridge foundation, a water tower base, or a cleared rail bed, pause and record the GPS coordinates.

During my Kansas trek, I found a rusted tie that still held a single spike head. I stood there for a full minute, imagining the clatter of wheels and the smell of coal. It’s moments like that that turn research into a story you can share.

Step 5 – Talk to the Locals

Even the smallest town often has a resident who remembers the old depot or whose grandparents told tales of the “iron road.” Visit the local historical society, the post office, or the diner. Ask about:

Old photographs (often stored in a community hall).
Family names that appear in the land records.
Legends of ghost trains or abandoned spikes.

I once chatted with a farmer in Nebraska who still kept a wooden spike in his barn as a “good luck charm.” He told me the spike came from the original line that crossed his field in 1882. That story became the centerpiece of my next post.

Step 6 – Document and Share

Create a simple report for each town you trace. Include:

A short history of the town’s rise and fall.
Photos of any remaining railroad artifacts.
Maps with your GPS points marked.
Any personal anecdotes you collected.

Upload the report to the Railroad Spike Chronicles site under a “Field Notes” section. Readers love a good map with a red line showing where the spikes once lay.

Step 7 – Preserve What You Can

If you discover a historically significant site—like an original spike hole still visible in a stone wall—consider contacting the state historic preservation office. They can help protect the spot from development.

Even small actions help. Planting a native shrub near a forgotten depot can stop erosion and keep the site recognizable for future explorers.

A Final Thought

Tracing the forgotten spikes is more than a hobby; it’s a way to stitch together the fabric of America’s growth. Each nail tells a tale of ambition, sweat, and the hope that a train would bring prosperity. By walking the old lines, talking to the people who live there now, and recording what we find, we keep those stories alive for the next generation of rail fans.

So grab a map, a metal detector, and a sense of adventure. The steel that once held the rails may be gone, but the towns it built are waiting for you to bring them back into the light.