Ames Monument
🔺 A 60-Foot Granite Pyramid on the Loneliest Stretch of Railroad in America — Built to Honor the Men Who Financed the Transcontinental Railroad (and the Scandal That Nearly Destroyed Them) — Ames Monument near Laramie, Albany County, Wyoming, 60-foot granite pyramid, designed by Henry Hobson Richardson with bas-relief portraits by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, honoring Oakes and Oliver Ames, Union Pacific Railroad financiers, Crédit Mobilier scandal, highest point on the original transcontinental route (8,247 feet), completed 1882, National Register — Albany County, WY
At 8,247 feet above sea level, on a windswept plateau between Laramie and Cheyenne, a 60-foot granite pyramid stands alone. There is no town. No railroad. Nothing but grass, sky, and wind. The tracks were rerouted a century ago, and the town that once stood here blew away.
The Ames Monument was built to honor Oakes and Oliver Ames — the brothers whose money built the Union Pacific Railroad. But by the time the monument was finished, the Ames name was synonymous with the Crédit Mobilier scandal, the greatest financial fraud of the 19th century. The monument was supposed to celebrate them. Instead, it marks the spot where America learned that its heroes could also be its thieves.
What to See
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| The Pyramid | 60 feet tall, rough-hewn granite, designed by H.H. Richardson — one of America’s most important 19th-century architects. His westernmost work. Cost $65,000 in 1882 |
| Bas-Relief Portraits | Two large medallion portraits of Oakes and Oliver Ames carved by Augustus Saint-Gaudens — one of the greatest American sculptors. Two titans of 19th-century art, collaborating on a lonely prairie |
| Sherman Summit | At 8,247 feet, this was the highest point on the original transcontinental railroad. The rails passed within sight of the monument until 1901, when the line was rerouted |
| Ghost Town of Sherman | A railroad town once stood here. When the tracks moved in 1901, the town died. The monument is the only structure left standing |
The Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1862 | Congress passes the Pacific Railroad Acts. Oakes Ames, a U.S. Congressman from Massachusetts, uses his political influence to secure financing for the Union Pacific Railroad |
| 1863–1869 | The transcontinental railroad is built. The Ames brothers finance the Union Pacific through Crédit Mobilier of America — a construction company that charges the railroad vastly inflated prices, funneling profits to insiders |
| 1869 | The Golden Spike. The transcontinental railroad is completed at Promontory Summit, Utah. America is connected coast to coast |
| 1872–1873 | The Crédit Mobilier scandal erupts. Investigation reveals that Ames distributed stock to congressmen to prevent oversight. Oakes Ames is censured by Congress. His reputation is destroyed |
| 1873 | Oakes Ames dies — broken by the scandal. Oliver Ames dies in 1877 |
| 1875–1882 | The Union Pacific board commissions the monument to rehabilitate the Ames name. H.H. Richardson designs the pyramid. Saint-Gaudens carves the portraits. Completed 1882 |
| 1901 | Union Pacific reroutes the tracks south. The town of Sherman becomes a ghost town. The monument is left alone on the empty plateau |
| 1983 | Union Pacific donates the monument to the State of Wyoming. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places |
Best Time to Visit
| Season | Best For |
|---|---|
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | ☀️ Wildflowers on the plateau. Clear views of the Rockies. Accessible dirt road. Bring water — there’s nothing out here |
| Fall (Sep–Oct) | 🍂 Golden grass. Cold wind. The pyramid against autumn sky. The isolation is the experience |
| Spring (May–Jun) | Snowmelt. Muddy access road. Wild weather at 8,247 feet |
| Winter (Nov–Apr) | Snow and extreme wind. The road may be impassable. This is one of the windiest places in America |
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Crédit Mobilier scandal?
The biggest financial scandal of 19th-century America. Oakes Ames and other Union Pacific insiders created a construction company (Crédit Mobilier) that charged the railroad inflated prices — essentially stealing from the company and its government subsidies. Ames then distributed stock to congressmen to prevent investigation. When the scandal broke in 1872, it brought down careers and ruined reputations.
Why is the monument so isolated?
Because the railroad moved. When the monument was built, it stood beside the busiest railroad in America. In 1901, Union Pacific rerouted the tracks south to avoid the steep grades at Sherman Summit. The town died, and the monument was left alone.
Who designed it?
Henry Hobson Richardson — one of the most important architects in American history. Richardson’s “Richardsonian Romanesque” style influenced a generation of American architecture. The Ames Monument is his westernmost work. The bas-relief portraits are by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, whose other works include the Shaw Memorial in Boston and the standing Lincoln in Chicago.
🔺 A Pyramid at 8,247 Feet — For Two Brothers America Tried to Forget
They financed the transcontinental railroad. Then the scandal broke. The monument was supposed to restore their names. Instead, it stands alone — on a plateau where even the town blew away.
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