Verdoia used public records, diaries, private letters and material from author David Haward Bain's best-selling book, "Empire Express: Building the First Transcontinental Railroad," to compile his historical account of the ugly economic broadside that hit Utahns during the final year and a half of the building and completion of the railroad.

"Brigham Young got basically taken for a ride," says Verdoia. "For all the good he did for the area and for all the successes he had, this is one where he really had to apologize to the people."

Once the railroad was completed, the railroad executives vacated Utah in a hurry, leaving their debts, and all memories of them, behind.

Attempts by Young to recover anything — even at pennies on the dollar — were rebuffed.

One small concession by the railroads was that any Mormon who had worked on the railroad could ride free to California.

Other than that, nothing.

As history records, Brigham Young's only recourse was to open the welfare stores of the church for the people who hadn't been paid and had virtually nothing to eat.

He also suspended tithing obligations for the railroad workers. Any increase they realized, they got to keep 100 percent.

For many years, the completion of the railroad represented something of a bitter pill, and not just for Mormons left holding the bag but for numerous others along the nationwide expanse of the rails who were bilked, as it turned out, out of their land or their money and sometimes both. Over time, Stanford, Durant and their like acquired the label of "robber barons" and their enterprise became the "grand swindle."

It explains why Promontory Summit, and the driving of the golden spike, stayed mostly silent until everyone involved had died off.

But over time, memories diminished and celebrations of a grand accomplishment — a railroad from coast to coast! — were revived.

One hundred and thirty-eight years later, the driving of the golden spike represents progress, success and great prospects for the future.

Exactly what the beleaguered This Is the Place Heritage Park is looking for.

Wouldn't Brigham Young be proud?

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Lee Benson's column runs Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please send e-mail to benson@desnews.com and faxes to 801-237-2527.