Ansari Chapters final 102815 for sample

Nevada Heartland
1
Nevada
Heartland
The Place Names of
Carson City,
Douglas, Lyon
and Storey Counties, Nevada
by Mary B. Ansari, L.H.D.
LeRue Press
lrpnv.com
Nevada Heartland: The Place Names of Carson City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey Counties,
Nevada. Copyright ©2015 by Mary Ansari. All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America by LeRue Press (LRP). No part of this book may be used
or reproduced, in any manner, performed or copied in any form without written permission
except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
For information or additional copies, contact LeRue Press (LRP), 280 Greg Street, Suite 10,
Reno, NV 89502
lrpnv.com
Photography and captions by Mary Ansari except where specifically noted.
Photography attributed to en.wikipedia.org is licensed under the Creative Commons License.
Cover photo: Mary B. Ansari, L.H.D.
Cover map compiled by Jennifer Vlcan, Cartographer, Nevada Bureau of Mines & Geology
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ansari, Mary B.
Nevada Heartland: The Place Names of Carson City, Douglas, Lyon
and Storey Counties, Nevada
Ansari/Mary B.
Nevada Heartland: The Place Names
of Carson City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey Counties,
Nevada / Mary B. Ansari, L.H.D.
p. c.m.
Includes bibliographical references (p 290-301)
ISBN 978-1-938814-80-8
2015955189
CIP
First Edition, November, 2015
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
FSC Paper, responsibly sourced.
Mary B. Ansari
DEDICATION
In memory of my place-name mentor,
Alvin R. McLane,
and as a
50th anniversary gift for my husband,
Nazir A. Ansari
Nevada Heartland
Mary B. Ansari
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . ii
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .iii
ABBREVIATIOINS . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
INDEX MAP OF USGS QUADRANGLES
COVERING CARSON CITY, DOUGLAS,
LYON AND STOREY COUNTIES . . . . . . . . . . . ….vii
THE PLACE NAMES, A through Z . . . . . . . . . 1 - 289
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .290
Nevada Heartland
Mary B. Ansari
FOREWORD
No one writing today knows more about the geographic names of northwestern
Nevada’s core historic section than Mary Ansari. Beginning in the mid-1980s, she
published four volumes about the place names of Storey, Ormsby (now Carson City),
Lyon, and Douglas counties, as well as a book about the names of mines and mills of the
Comstock. These exhaustively researched publications provided the most complete
information up to then about the names found on maps of those counties – their origins,
meanings, and even data on important events or personalities associated with them.
Now, she has revised and expanded the material from her earlier books and brought it
together in a new work that is the definitive place name reference for what is really the
“heartland” of Nevada, the area where the state’s initial nineteenth century economic,
political, and community development occurred.
Far from being a rote listing of similar facts about one site after another, Nevada
Heartland is, in effect, a fascinating discussion about the landscape of an important
region of our state. It is full of history, obviously, and much of that makes for quite
entertaining reading. One can dip into the book at any point and find not only
significant information about the name of a specific place, but also little-known facts or
stories relating to the site.
We, and the many others who will read or consult it in the future, are fortunate to at
last have in our hands this culmination of the author’s exceptional, decades-long work in
the field of Nevada geographic names.
Eric N. Moody
Nevada in the West
magazine
i
Nevada Heartland
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Helen Carlson’s venerable Nevada Place
Names: a Geographical Dictionary, originally published
in 1974 and reprinted in 1985, provided much
information and inspiration for this endeavor. Soon
after its publication, the late Alvin R. McLane, Nevada
historian and archeologist, developed the idea of
publishing a monograph of geographic place names
for each county of Nevada with the vision of eventually
covering the entire state in far more detail than the
Carlson volume. At that time, two county place name
books were already in existence: Edna Patterson’s Who
Named It? History of Elko County Place Names and
Walter Averett’s Southern Nevada Place Names,
covering all of Clark County as well as the southern
portion of Lincoln County. That left 15 counties to be
completed. Under Alvin McLane’s mentorship, I
eventually published monographs for Carson City,
Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties. No other counties
have been done in the detail that Alvin envisioned.
Without access to the following repositories,
the completion of this volume would not have been
possible: the late Alvin R. McLane’s’ research files; the
Nevada Historical Society; the University of Nevada,
Reno’s DeLaMare Library; UNR’s Mary B. Ansari Map
Library; UNR’s Special Collections Department; the
Nevada Bureau of Mines & Geology; the Nevada
State Library & Archives; Carson City Public Library;
Douglas County Public Libraries; Incline Village Public
Library; the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center;
the Carson City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties
recorders’ offices.
I wish to express my deep appreciation to the
following individuals:
The late Alvin R. McLane, Nevada historian,
archeologist, speleologist and so much more, who was
mentor, editor and publisher of my research on Carson
City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties. Mr. McLane,
owner of Camp Nevada press, published my work in
the Camp Nevada Monograph Series.
Aaron McLane, son of Alvin McLane, for
finishing the publication of Place Names of Douglas
County, Nevada after his father’s death.
Eric Moody, Nevada historian and editor of
Nevada in the West magazine, for his long-term interest
in the place-name project, for helping and encouraging
me with my research over the years and for facilitating
my finding a publisher for this book.
Eugene Hattori, Nevada State Museum Curator
of Anthropology, for all his help with locating the
sketches and photos for this and my Douglas County
book.
Guy Louis Rocha, former Nevada State
Archivist, for reviewing my Carson City manuscript and
this volume.
Evan Pellegrini, anthropologist and lifelong
Mason Valley resident, for his photos of Lyon County and
his help with Lyon County place names.
The late Eugene Faust, Nevada Bureau of Mines
& Geology Resident Cartographer, for reviewing my
Storey County manuscript.
Joseph V. Tingley, Nevada Bureau of Mines &
Geology Research Geologist, for reviewing my Lyon
County manuscript.
The late Gerald Hartley, mining engineer, for
his help with my Storey County research.
Georgia Fulstone, long-time Lyon County
resident and wife of the late Richard Fulstone, who
provided extensive information relating to Smith Valley
place names.
Kay Winters, long-time Lyon County resident
and wife of the late JohnD Winters, who provided
extensive information pertaining to the Dayton area of
Lyon County and the Winters family.
The late Lee Mortensen, Nevada Historical
Society Librarian, who helped me locate many obscure
historic maps on my research area.
Janice Hermsen, owner of LeRue Press, for her
commitment to publishing research on Nevada history
and for the encouragement and professional assistance
she has given me.
Many other individuals contributed information
on specific names and are credited in the references
under those names.
My husband, Nazir A. Ansari, deserves special
appreciation for his patience with this project.
ii
Mary B. Ansari
INTRODUCTION
This book represents the sixth volume I
have authored on the four-county area. The
earlier volumes were Comstock Place Names—the
Names of Storey County, Nevada, published in
1986; Carson City Place Names, published in
1995; Place Names of Lyon County, Nevada,
2001 and Place Names of Douglas County,
Nevada, 2007. These titles were all published by
the late Alvin R. McLane’s Camp Nevada press. As
an offshoot of this research, I also authored
another book, Mines and Mills of the Comstock
Region, Western Nevada, published by Camp
Nevada in 1989. After Comstock Place Names
went out of print several years ago, I became
interested in combining the material I had on the
four counties into one volume. The present volume
brings together and updates my earlier research.
My work on Douglas County and this volume has
been heavily impacted by Alvin’s sudden and
untimely death in 2006.
A major source of information for this and
all the volumes was the Geographic Names
Information System (GNIS), a computer database
produced and maintained by the U.S. Geological
Survey that provides primary information for all
known features, places and areas in the United
States identified by a proper name. Though the
major emphasis of my research is on geographic
names, I have defined place names similarly to the
compilers of GNIS to include many cultural and
historic names, such as mines and mining districts,
ghost towns, stage stations, major public buildings,
some historic ranches, etc.
The text is arranged alphabetically by
place name with “see” references from alternate
or earlier names and variant spellings. The typical
format of an entry is the place name followed by
elevation or population, where applicable, name
of the U.S. Geological Survey 7.5 minute
topographic quadrangle map containing the
feature and a verbal description of the site’s
Nevada Heartland: The Place Names of
Carson City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey Counties,
Nevada is the culmination of my many years of
research on the four counties of Nevada’s
heartland; these counties represent the cradle of
Euro-American civilization in Nevada. In the mid1970s, when I was the Mines Librarian at the
University of Nevada, Reno, I became acquainted
with Nevada historian and archeologist Alvin R.
McLane, who made heavy use of the Mines Library.
One day while Alvin and I were chatting, I
mentioned that as a member of the library faculty I
was expected to publish. It was then that Alvin
shared with me his vision of a place-name
publication series that would eventually cover the
entire state county by county. Immediately I saw
the opportunity to do something of interest as well
as to solve my publish-or-perish challenge.
Consequently, I volunteered to do a county.
Following the example of Helen Carlson’s
highly-acclaimed Nevada Place Names: a
Geographical Dictionary, Alvin wanted to cover the
state, county by county in far more detail than
Carlson was able to do in one 282-page-volume.
He wanted to begin this ambitious project with
Storey County because of its small size and great
historic interest. In addition to geographic place
names, he wanted to include information on the
Virginia City and Gold Hill mines and historic sites.
With some reservations, I accepted the Storey
County assignment. Because of its many famous
Comstock Lode mines, Storey County turned out to
be a very challenging and time-consuming project,
which I ended up working on as part of my
sabbatical leave research in the early 1980s. The
Storey County book was published in 1986, almost
ten years after I volunteered to do it. Under Alvin’s
mentorship, over a period of almost 30 years, I
authored place-name volumes for Carson City,
Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties under the Camp
Nevada imprint.
iii
Nevada Heartland
location. A brief description and history of the
site is then given, followed by information on the
origin of the name when available. Where
several features begin with the same name, i.e.
Buckskin, Carson, Douglas, Fulstone, Genoa,
Kingsbury, etc., the origin of the name is
discussed at the beginning and is not repeated in
subsequent entries. The “see also” references
refer the reader to other related names that
appear as separate entries. In the introductory
material, there is an index map of the Carson
City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties showing
the location of the 7.5 minute USGS quadrangles
covering those counties. A key to the
abbreviations used in the text is also included in
the introductory material.
In the main text, references to books are
listed in parentheses in the following format:
author’s surname, year of publication and page
number. Complete bibliographic references to
monographs, maps and some serials are given in
the “Bibliography” section. References to
newspapers, journal articles, county records and
most other serials are listed only in the main text
in the following format: (RC, 1995, Nov. 5, 1:4)
= Record-Courier (newspaper name), 1995, Nov.
5 (date), 1:4 (page and column). Newspaper
references taken from newspaper websites
usually lack page and column numbers. Because
this research was spread out over so many years,
the bibliographic references for Carson City and
Storey County are grouped at the end of each
place-name entry following Helen Carlson’s
format, whereas the references for Douglas and
Lyon counties are interspersed throughout the
text of the entry.
To identify as many of the counties’ place names
as possible, the author employed the following
methodology: 1) names were extracted from
published and unpublished maps and GNIS, 2) a
search of the literature was conducted to find
historic, descriptive and onomastic information
and place names not found on maps and in
GNIS, 3) fieldwork was conducted to examine
selected sites, conduct interviews and research
county records and 4) the internet was searched
for any additional information. In addition,
extensive use was made of the late Alvin
McLane’s research files. In a few captions and
entries, there are references to Smith and Mason
valIeys being in Esmeralda County. It’s important
to know that from 1861 to 1883 Smith and
southern Mason valleys were part of Esmeralda
County. In 1883, the Esmeralda and Lyon county
boundary was redrawn including them in Lyon
County (Nev. Revised Statutes 243.080 &
143.240).
Mary B. Ansari, L.H.D.
Emerita Director of Administrative Service
& Branch Libraries
University of Nevada, Reno Libraries
2015
iv
Mary B. Ansari
ABBREVIATIONS
Geological Survey geographic names database)
Highway = Hwy.
HSD = Historic Site Data (see Bibliography entry
under McLane, Alvin, 1982)
illus. = illustration
inc. = incorporated
lat. = latitude
LCM = Lyon County Mortgages (on microfilm at the
NSL&A)
LCML= Lyon County Mining Locations (on microfilm at
the NSL&A)
LCMP= Lyon County Master Plan
LCMR = Lyon County Miscellaneous Records (on
microfilm at the NSL&A)
LCR = Lyon County Reflections (available at the Nev.
Historical Society)
LCSR = Lyon County Survey Records (on microfilm at
the NSL&A)
LCT= Lyon County Times (newspaper published 18741897)
LCWR = Lyon County Index to Water Rights (on
microfilm at the NSL&A)
long. = longitude
LY = Lyon
MA = Morning Appeal (Carson City newspaper
1877-1906, on microfilm at UNR Library)
M&SP = Mining & Scientific Press
mi. = mile(s)
min. = minute
Min. Res. of the U.S. = Mineral Resources of the United
States (published by the U.S. Geological Survey
1882-1923)
misc. = miscellaneous
ms. = manuscript
M.S. = Master of Science
NBM&G = Nevada Bureau of Mines & Geology
NCB RR= Nevada Copper Belt Railroad
NCC = Nevada Centennial Committee
n.d. = no date (undated)
NDH = Nevada Department of Highways
NDT = Nevada Department of Transportation
NE = northeast
Nev. = Nevada
NHS = Nevada Historical Society
a.k.a. = also known as
approx. = approximately
AT = Apple Tree (Nevada Appeal Sunday Magazine)
bk. = book
BLM = Bureau of Land Management
Bur. = Bureau
ca. = circa
CA=Carson Appeal/Carson Daily Appeal (Carson City
newspaper 1865-1870, on microfilm at UNR Library)
C&C RR= Carson & Colorado Railroad
Calif. = California
CC = Carson City
CCP = Carson City Planning
CCRO = Carson City Recorder’s Office
CMCC= Consolidated Municipality of Carson City
co. = company
comm. = commission
commun. = communication
corp. = corporation
CP = Comstock Papers (see listing in Bibliography)
CP RR = Central Pacific Railroad
CVCVA = Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce and
Visitors Authority
CVHS = Carson Valley Historical Society
CVM&CC = Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center
DCAR = Douglas County Assessment Roll (on microfilm
at the NSL&A)
DCKR = Douglas County Kinsey Records (on microfilm
at the NSL&A)
DCR = Douglas County Recorder
dept. = department
DO = Douglas
E&MJ= Engineering & Mining Journal
ed. = editor
elev. = elevation
E-SE = east southeast
fig. = figure
ft. = foot/ft.
GHM = General Highway Map (see Bibliography
entries under Nev. Dept. of Highways and Nev. Dept.
of Transportation)
GHN= Gold Hill News (Gold Hill newspaper
published 1863-1882, on microfilm at UNR Library)
GNIS=Geographic Names Information System (U.S.
v
Nevada Heartland
NLTB = North Lake Tahoe Bonanza (newspaper
published in Incline Village)
NMA = Nevada Mining Association
NMM&S = Nevada Mines Mills & Smelters (published
by the State Printing Office 1943-1974)
N-NW = north northwest
n.p. = no pagination
NR = National Register of Historic Places
NSBGN = Nevada State Board on Geographic
Names
NSHPO = Nevada State Historic Preservation Office
NSJ = Nevada State Journal (newspaper published
1907-1983, (on microfilm at UNR Library)
NSL&A = Nevada State Library & Archives
NSR = Nevada State Route
NSWP=Nevada State Writers Project (see
Bibliography)
NW = northwest
OCCM = Old Carson County Miscellaneous (on
microfilm at the NSL&A)
OCD = Ormsby County Deeds (on microfilm at the
NSL&A)
OCWA = Ormsby County Water Appropriations (on
microfilm at the NSL&A)
p. = page
pers. = personal
pl. = plate
pt(s). = part(s)
quad. = quadrangle
R = range
RC = Record-Courier (newspaper serving Douglas
County since 1880)
RCCVA = Record-Courier’s Carson Valley Almanac
rd. = road
rept. = report
RGJ = Reno Gazette-Journal
RR = railroad
SCR, Locs. = Storey County Records, Locations (on
microfilm at the NSL&A)
SCR, Min. Locs. = Storey County Records, Mining
Locations (on microfilm at the NSL&A)
SE = southeast
Sec(s). = section(s)
sh. = sheet
SMR = State Mineralogist’s Report (Biennial Report of
the State Mineralogist of the State of Nevada for
the Years 1865-1875)
SP RR = Southern Pacific Railroad
SR = State Register of Historic Places
S-SE = south southeast
ST = Storey
SW = southwest
T = township
TE = Territorial Enterprise Historic Virginia City news
- papers, (on microfilm at UNR Library)
TTU = Texas Tech University
UNR=University of Nevada, Reno
UP RR = Union Pacific Railroad
USBGN = United States Board on Geographic
Names
USGS = United States Geological Survey
V&T RR = Virginia & Truckee Railroad
vol. = volume(s)
WPA = Works Projects Administration
wnhpc = Western Nevada Historic Photo collection
(wnhpc.com)
wr. = written
WSHP = Western States Historical Publishers
W-SW = west southwest
WWI = World War I
WWII = World War II
yr(s). = year(s)
vi
Mary B. Ansari
Index Map of the U.S. Geological Survey 7.5 Minute Quadrangles covering Carson City, Douglas,
Lyon and Story Counties. Nevada (Map Compiled by Jennifer Vlcan, Cartographer, Nevada Bureau
of Mines & Geological, Reno, NV)
vii
Nevada Heartland
viii
A
A-Bar-A Ranch, see RAFTER SEVEN
Ranch
A DRAIN (LY, Fernley East 7.5’
quad.)
Canal flowing north of Fernley Farm
District Rd. into the Fernley Wildlife
Management Area (GNIS).
ACCIARI RANCH (LY, Oreana Peak
7.5’ quad.)
Shown on a 1978 map in Smith
Valley west of Beaman Lakes
(NDOT, 1978, Wellington quad.).
Joseph Acciari was born in Yerington
in Oct. 1930 to Pasquale and Palma
Lommori Acciari. Pasquale was born
in Italy and at age 16 came to Nev.
After working in mining and on
ranches, Pasquale purchased his own
ranch in 1936. Palma’s parents came
from Italy, and she was born in
Yerington. A 1970 publication
reported Joseph Acciari to be a
farmer, contractor, retailer in farm
supplies and house mover. In 1949,
he married Sophia Bunkowski of
Smith Valley. He farmed 320 acres,
raising alfalfa and grain (WSHP,
1970, 885-86).
ADAMS (about the name): Douglas
County features bearing this name
honor brothers John Quincy Adams
and Rufus Adams, early EuroAmerican settlers in the area. John
Quincy was born in 1832, son of
Elias and Belinda Adams of
Columbus, in Adams County, Illinois.
His father was one of the first settlers
The Ambrose Carson River Natural Area is named for Nicholas ‘Dutch
Nick’ Ambrose and his descendants (photo by author)
of Adams County, and the county was named for him. As a young man,
John Quincy learned brick making. In 1850, he migrated to Utah with his
father where they became farmers and raised cattle. In 1853, he came
to Carson Valley and took up ranching with his brother, Rufus. He
operated a hotel for about five yrs. and made the brick used in the U.S.
Branch Mint in Carson City and the Court House at Genoa. He and Rufus
homesteaded 160 acres each and built a roadhouse and feed yard on
the Carson River
Route to Calif.
John Quincy was
a partner on the
Comstock with
Peter O’Riley
and other early
locators. Being
too busy running
the Carson
Valley ranch to
properly oversee
his mining
Mr. & Mrs. John Quincy Adams (Angel, 1881, opposite p. 268)
1
Nevada Heartland
interests, he lost out on his profits and partnership on the
Comstock. The Adams were Mormons, and many of the
family settled in Layton, Kaysville, Ogden and Salt Lake
City, Utah. John Quincy married a Canadian, Ellen Dolan
Walsh, who was a Catholic. Subsequently, he and others
in the family converted to Catholicism. John Quincy and
his wife are buried in the Genoa Cemetery. He died in
1910, and Ellen died in 1921.Their portraits and the
picture of their ranch in Genoa are shown in Angel
(1881, opposite p. 268). Rufus was born in Adams
County, Illinois and died near Genoa in 1876 at the age
of 48. He is buried in Genoa Cemetery (Adams, 1982,
1-13; Angel, 1881, 382; NCC Douglas County, 1964,
Rufus W. Adams).
In 2004, a development group called Eagle Ridge at
Genoa bought part of the ranch from the Adams family
to build 55 homes on a 270-acre section at the base of
the Carson Range. Two other parcels totaling about 725
acres eventually could be purchased by the U.S. Forest
Service and set aside for recreational purposes. An old
logging road on that portion might serve as a link
between Carson Valley and the Tahoe Rim Trail (Tahoe
Daily Tribune, 2005, Mar. 15).
ADOBE (about the name): Name descriptive of sundried brick or the clay from which adobe brick is made.
It was a common building material in the early days in
areas of Nev. where wood was scarce.
ADOBE FLATS (LY, Weber Reservoir
7.5’ quad.)
Historic designation for an area of
Lyon County on the northwestern side
of the Walker River Indian
Reservation. It was shown on an 1882
map west of the Walker River and
directly north of the original
Esmeralda County line (C&C RR,
1882, sh. 3).
ADOBE STATION (LY, Flowery Peak
7.5’ quad.)
Historic station on the original
emigrant trail between Ragtown in
Churchill County and Carson City. It
was located several hundred ft. north
of present-day U.S. Hwy. 50, about 3
½ mi. NE of Dayton (McLane, 1982,
Table 4, HSD, Lyon County).
(Angel, 1881, opposite p. 268)
ADRIAN VALLEY (LY, Wabuska 7.5’
quad.)
Small basin NW of Mason Valley, lying between the
Desert and Pine Nut mountains. It is approx. 13 mi. north
of Yerington with its south end at the NW corner of
Mason Valley and its north end at the Churchill Narrows.
This narrow, low-lying flat is connected to Mason Valley
above Wabuska, and during very wet yrs. the Walker
River can overflow into the Carson River through this
connector (Calif. Dept. Water Resources, 1992, 17). The
flat is traversed by the UP RR. Robert Adrian was listed
as living in Schurz in Mineral County in the 1910 census,
so possibly the valley is named for him or perhaps the
railroad had something to do with the naming.
ADAMS CANYON (DO, Genoa 7.5’ quad.)
A Carson Range drainage one mi. NW of Genoa.
ADAMS RANCH (DO, Genoa 7.5’ quad.)
Historic ranch located on Jacks Valley Rd. south of the
Genoa Lakes Golf Club and Resort. The brick kiln on the
premises supplied bricks for many of Genoa’s buildings.
According to a 2003 newspaper article, the ranch dates
back to Sept. 1853 when Rufus Adams established it.
Rufus eventually became a partner with his brother, John
Quincy Adams. The 22-room house on the property was
a hotel for travelers on the Carson River Route to Calif.
and later to and from the Comstock. In 2003, the
property remained the longest continuously operated
ranch in Nev. by one family (NLTB, 2003, June 27, A13).
Aetna Mine, see ETNA MINE
2
Mary B. Ansari
AJAX NEVADA GOLD PROPERTY (CC)
Reported in 1914 as being in the Delaware Mining
District about eight mi. east of Carson City (Sirdivan,
1914, Report on the Ajax-Nevada Property, Ormsby
County, Nevada [on file at the NBM&G]; State Inspector
of Mines Rept., 1912, 35).
Alkali Lake, see TOPAZ LAKE
Alkali Lake State Wildlife Management Area, see
ARTESIA LAKE STATE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
ALKALI MINING DISTRICT (LY, Artesia Lake 7.5’ quad.)
Mentioned numerous times in LCML, 1889-1905, this
district included the western Singatse Range in the
vicinity of Ludwig. Now it is part the Yerington Mining
District.
ALBERTA (LY, Yerington 7.5’ quad.)
In 1907, an article in a mining journal described the new
Lyon County mining town of Alberta on the eastern slope
of the Mason Valley Range and on the west bank of the
Walker River, overlooking all of Mason Valley. The
proposed Oregon Short Line RR crossed the southern
corner of the town site, and the Bluestone Mine was in
the mountains just above the town (E&MJ, May, 1907).
The plat of Alberta town site indicated its location as
T13N, R25E, Secs. 15, 16, 21, 22 which is on the Walker
River directly west of Yerington and north of Mason
(LCSR, Bk. B, 1907, 343-346). It appears to have been
an ephemeral mining camp if indeed it ever existed at
all.
Allen Canyon, see GENOA MINING DISTRICT
ALLEN MINE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Early Comstock mine located south of the Utah Mine
about one mi. north of Virginia City. The mine was first
worked in the early 1860s. In 1866, it was reported to
have over 900 ft. on the Comstock Lode and was not in
operation (SMR, 1866, 81; TE, 1866, Sept. 8, 3:1).
ALLENS BRIDGE (DO, Gardnerville 7.5’ quad.)
Historic site on the East Fork Carson River about three mi.
SE of Gardnerville. An 1863 map shows Allens located
south of Tisdells (Twelve Mile House) (DeGroot, 1863).
According to Smith (1994, v.2, 129), there were two
stage stations, Wheelers and Teasdales, about1/4 mi.
apart, and Allens Bridge was in the vicinity.
Alcorn Ditch, see SPRAGG-ALCORN-BEWLEY DITCH
ALDRICH GRADE (LY, Nine Mile Ranch 7.5’ quad.)
Steep portion of East Walker Rd. about 35 mi. south of
Yerington and five mi. north of the Mineral County line
(NDOT, 1989, GHM Quad. 8-10). The grade was
named for an early day stage or freighting station
known as Aldrich Station directly across the county line in
Mineral County (McLane, 1982, Table 4, HSD, Mineral
County).
ALLERMAN (about the name): This name in Douglas
County honors early Euro-American settlers, Herman
Deitrich Allerman and Elizabeth Allerman and their
descendants. Herman (1842 – 1915) and Elizabeth
(1857 – 1925) are buried in the Genoa Cemetery.
Other family members are buried in the Mottsville
Cemetery. Herman was a native of Germany (Robinson,
2000, 57). H.D. Allerman is listed on the1875 DCAR as
owner of a ranch in the East Fork Township. Laura Alice
(McFaul) Allerman was born in Glenbrook in 1885. She
moved to Mottsville in 1903 where she met Fred
Allerman. They were married in Carson City in 1904.
She spent most of her life on a ranch. She and Fred
delivered rural route mail in Douglas County (NCC
Douglas County, 1964, Ethel L. Harper). An early 1920s
map shows Fred and Laura Allerman’s property
adjacent to Chris and Knox Johnson’s property north of
Mottsville (Allen, n.d.).
ALEX ESKE MINE (CC, McTarnahan Hill 7.5’ quad.)
Delaware Mining District tungsten property reported as
being on the east and north flanks of McTarnahan Hill. It
was named for Alex F. Eske, who was very active in
mining in the district. Small replacement bodies of
massive hematite are associated with tungsten-bearing
tactite. There was no significant production from the
property (Moore, 1969, 31; Overton, 1947, 42).
ALHAMBRA MINE (LY, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Old mine west of NSR 341 about one mi. south of Silver
City (GNIS).
ALKALI (about the name): "The name ‘Alkali’ has been
widely used in western Nev. for various soluble mineral
salts found in natural water and arid soils..." (Carlson,
1985, 35).
ALLERMAN CANAL (DO, Gardnerville 7.5’ quad.)
Irrigation canal originating on the East Fork Carson River
3
Nevada Heartland
1879-1890 was about $403,000 from an estimated
24,000 tons for an average of slightly less than $17
per ton. According to Stuart, assessments of approx.
$3,618,000 were levied, and no dividends were paid.
Smith lists an estimated production of $750,000 for the
mine. In the mid-1920s, the mine was taken over by the
United Comstock Mining Co. and later by the Sutro
Tunnel Coalition Co. (Becker, 1882, 20; Smith, 1932,
21; Stoddard, 1950, 43; Stuart, 1909, 43, WPA, 1941,
no. 2, 1-4).
in the vicinity of the Lahontan National Fish Hatchery and
flowing through SE Carson Valley into a reservoir about
two mi. east of the Minden-Tahoe Airport. It was
constructed on the East Fork in 1861 to irrigate about
600 acres. In 1876, H. F. Dangberg acquired an interest
in the canal and lengthened it. Beginning in 1906, the
canal was used to fill three reservoirs, the Dangberg/
Allerman 1, 2 and 4 reservoirs on the east side of
Carson Valley (Horton, ca.1997, pt. I).
Allerman Reservoirs, see DANGBERG RESERVOIRS
AMAZON (about the name): Name of a ravine and old
mine in Lyon County. "The name ultimately
commemorates the Amazon River of South America, said
to have been so called because Orellana and early
Spanish explorers thought they saw female warriors on
its banks" (Carlson, 1985, 37).
ALPHA MINE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Comstock silver-gold mine situated between the
Consolidated Imperial and Exchequer mines in upper
Gold Hill. The patented claim was staked in 1859 and
first worked around 1860. It had 276 ft. of ground on
the Comstock Lode, but later expanded to 300 ft. The
ore had a higher silver content than other Gold Hill
mines. Its main production period was 1863-1870, but it
operated until the 1890s. It levied assessments of
$870,000, but never paid dividends. In the 1980s, the
mine became part of Houston International Minerals
Corp.’s Imperial Pit (Becker, 1882, 17; Comp, 1980;
Lewis, ca. 1962; Stuart, 1909, 42; Smith, 1943, 292;
W.P.A. 1941, no. 1, 1-2).
AMAZON GULCH (LY, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Small canyon west of NSR 341 about 3/4 mi. SW of
Silver City.
AMAZON MINE (LY, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Comstock-era mine in Amazon Gulch about 3/4 mi. SW
of Silver City. In 1875, a plat of an Amazon town site
was recorded. The proposed town was adjacent to the
Amazon Shaft (LCSR, Bk. B, June 18, 1875, 111).
Alpha, being the first letter of the Greek alphabet, has
the connotation of being ‘the first’ or ‘the leading’ mine.
Carlson (1955, 9 & 15) points out that names with a
learned and classical flavor were quite popular with
miners and that the name was likely transferred from
Calif. where there are several Alpha mines.
AMBASSADOR WELL (LY, Artesia Lake 7.5’ quad.)
Water source about 3/4 mi. north of Artesia Lake in
northwestern Smith Valley.
AMBROSE CARSON RIVER NATURAL AREA (CC, New
Empire 7.5’ quad.)
On Deer Run Rd. about 1 1/4 mi. south of U.S. Hwy. 50,
this recreation area is jointly managed by the BLM and
Carson City and offers dirt trails and access to the
Carson River. The name gives tribute to the first EuroAmerican settler in the area, Nicholas Ambrose or
Ambrosia (l824 – 1880), widely known on the
Comstock and in western Utah Territory as ‘Dutch
Nick’ (Sue Ballew, Nevada Appeal Past Pages, undated
column on file at the Carson City Parks & Recreation
Dept.) Nick was born in Pennsylvania of Prussian
ancestry. In the mid1850s, he settled on the Carson
River about five mi. east of Eagle Station/Ranch (now
downtown Carson City) where he operated a farm and
Dutch Nicks Station. In the 1850s, he went by the
surname of Ambrosia and later changed to Ambrose. He
is honored as the founder of Empire City, which was laid
out on his land in the early 1860s. He and his wife,
Rebecca (1835-1912), ran a successful saloon and hotel
ALPINE RANCH (DO, Minden 7.5’ quad.)
Ranch shown on a 1978 map on the west side of NSR 88
about 2 1/4 mi south of Centerville in Douglas County
(NDOT, 1978, Freel Peak 15’ quad.).
Alta California, see NEVADA
Alta Lake, see MARLETTE LAKE
ALTA MINE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Located about one mi. SE of Gold Hill on the Silver City
Branch of the Comstock Lode. The claim was staked in
1859, but not much work was done until the mid-1870s
when good ore was found close by in the Woodville
Mine. The Alta Shaft was part of a ‘third line’ of vertical
shafts sunk in the mid-1870s to tap the Comstock Lode at
greater depths. Total reported production for the yrs.
4
Mary B. Ansari
there, raised a large family and were among the
community’s most prominent citizens. They and many
descendants are buried in the Empire City Cemetery.
Inscribed in German on his tombstone is the following
translated into English “You were our support and
faithful father, oh, we will never forget you.” (Angel,
1881, 562-63; Silver, 2011, pt. I & pt. II, 9-15). See
also (1) EMPIRE CEMETERY, (2) EMPIRE CITY. Unlike so
many early white settlers on and near the Comstock
Lode, ‘Dutch Nick’ and many of his descendants
remained in the area.
AMERICAN CITY (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
A mining camp situated in NE American Flat west of
Hartford Hill. It was laid out in 1864 on an extension of
the Comstock Lode. Its post office is reported to have
operated from Mar. 1866 to Feb. 1868. Collin's 186465 directory reported the camp to resemble an old
established city. In the mid-1860s, the town offered the
state a donation of $50,000 to have the capital moved
from Carson City to American City. The offer was
declined despite support from the Storey County
newspapers. Nothing remains of the settlement but a
trace of rubble. Close by the site are the extensive
ruins of the United Comstock Merger Mill built there in
1921. In the early 1920s, the town of Comstock was
built on the site of American City to serve the United
Comstock Merger Mill. Comstock's post office operated
from Jan. 1923 to Feb. 1927. The community's demise
coincided with that of the massive mill. In 2010, the BLM
determined that the ruins of the mill were too dangerous
to be left standing and recommended that they be
razed. (Ansari, 1989, 53; Collins, 1864-65, 339; GHN,
1864, Jan. 13, 3:1; Harris, 1973, 10, 18; Lincoln, 1923,
229; RGJ, 2010, Dec. 12; SCR, Min. Locs., 1864, v.A
314, plat of American City).
AMBROSETTI (about the name): The 1910 U.S Census
lists Frank Ambrosetti, age 70, as an Ormsby County
farmer and Frank Ambrosetti, age 24, as a laborer
living in Ormsby County (now called Carson City.) The
1920 Census lists Allie Ambrosetti, age 30, as a laborer
in Douglas County and Fleecy Ambrosetti, age 34, as a
Douglas County farmer. Allie Ambrosetti, born 1887, is
listed in the Douglas County WWI Draft Records. Frank
Ambrosetti was listed as a resident of Carson Township
in a 1910 census index (Jackson, 1984, 10). An early
1920s map shows the property belonging to the
Ambrosetti brothers (Allen, n.d.). The following
Ambosettis are buried in Lone Mountain Cemetery in
Carson City: Allie (1887 – 1960), Fleecy (1883 –
1950), Frank (1840 – 1917) and Mary (1853 – 1936).
AMERICAN FLAT (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
The name given to a relatively level area, measuring
approx. one mi. long by one mi. wide, situated
about1/4 mi. west of Gold Canyon between Gold Hill
and Silver City. Gold and silver mining began here
after 1860 when the Comstock discoveries extended
beyond Gold Canyon. The mining camp of American
City was located on the NE side of the flat.
AMBROSETTI POND (DO, Genoa 7.5’ quad.)
Reservoir located directly south of the Carson River
about 1/2 mi. SW of the Cradlebaugh Bridge on U.S.
Hwy. 395. The reservoir dates back to the 1880s and
has a 200 acre-ft. capacity.
AMBROSETTI RANCH (CC, Carson City 7.5’ quad.)
Shown on a historic sites map south of downtown
Carson City about1/4 mi. SE of the Gardner Ranch
site. Frank Ambrosetti held water rights on the
property in the late 1880s (CCP, 1976, map; Ormsby
County Record of Water Rights, v. 1, 65-67, recorded
1889).
AMERICAN (about the name): Name applied to
several features in the vicinity of American Flat in
Storey and Lyon counties. Emanuel Penrod, an early
Gold Hill miner and Nev. settler, reported that the
large flat located 1/2 mi. west of Gold Hill was
named ‘American Flat’ because it was mined by
Americans rather than Chinese or Mexicans, who were
quite active in mining in the early days of the
Comstock (Carlson, 1985, 37).
Ruins on American Flat of the United Comstock Merger Mill’s cyanide tanks
prior to planned demolition ca. 2015 (blm.gov)
5
Nevada Heartland
On the USGS 1893 Markleeville topographic map, the
property was shown on the east side of Fish Spring Flat
as Pete Anderson’s. Ruins of this old ranch were noted in
the 1960s (McLane, 1982, Table 4, HSD - Douglas
County).
AMERICAN FLAT MINING DISTRICT (ST, Virginia City
7.5’ quad.)
This silver and gold mining district was established on
American Flat in 1864 when it was segregated from the
Gold Hill District. The settlement of American City came
into existence to serve the district. District mines included
the Globe Consolidated, Baltimore Consolidated,
Maryland, American Flat and Rock Island. The district is
now part of the Comstock District (Angel, 1881, 616;
GHN, 1864, Apr, 2, 3:1; SMR, 1866, 69).
According to Nation (2000, 59), beginning in the 1880s,
the Pete Anderson Ranch was a prominent landmark
used by prospectors, miners and county recorders. Pete
Anderson was 32 yrs. old when he, his wife Johanna and
brother Chris arrived from Denmark and settled in
Carson Valley in 1877. Pete worked as a hired hand on
the Dangberg Ranch and other ranches before
purchasing the Henry Ott Ranch in the Pine Nut
Mountains in 1881. In 1891, when Bill Zirn and Otto
Schultz struck gold near the Anderson Ranch, miners and
prospectors flooded into the area. To accommodate
their needs, Anderson and Charles Holbrook erected a
saloon, livery stable and boarding house on the ranch.
He and Holbrook laid out a town site on the eastern side
of the mine and named it Zirnville. Except for a few
miners’ cabins, there was no town because the claims,
other than the Zirn/Schultz Mine, failed to produce.
Anderson eventually gave up ranch life and purchased
a hotel and saloon in Millersville where he erected a
dance hall for Saturday night entertainment. He died in
1926 in Gardnerville at the home of his daughter, Mrs.
Leo Springmeyer. In 1898, the Heleza Placer Mining Co.
purchased the ranch. In 1906, the ranch was sold to
Alphons Clock and Mathias Jacobsen for sheep ranching.
Vandals destroyed the ranch house in the 1950s, and
careless deer hunters burned the barn in the 1960s.
American Flat Ravine, see AMERICAN RAVINE
AMERICAN FLAT ROAD (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Early day road leading north from present-day Mound
House along the west and north sides of American Flat
into Gold Hill (Lord, 1883, pl. 3; SCR, Locs., 1875, v. B,
202).
AMERICAN FLAT TUNNEL (LY, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Former station/siding on the V&T RR located slightly
over one mi. due west of Silver City. The site is just west
of the railroad tunnel that penetrated a low ridge and
lies south of American Flat, hence the name (McLane,
1982, Table 4, HSD, Lyon County).
AMERICAN FLAT WASH (LY, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Name of a stream in American Ravine (Carlson, 1985,
37).
ANDERSON RANCH (CC, New Empire 7.5’ quad.)
Shown on a map surveyed in 1934 about1/10 mi. south
of the Carson River Rd. and1/4 mi. east of Lloyds
Bridge, this property was owned by William C.
Anderson (OCWA, 1932; USGS, 1944, map, sh. 1).
Another Anderson Ranch was shown on the same map
about 3/4 mi. west of the Carson River approx. 1/2
mi. SW of the site of Empire City.
AMERICAN RAVINE (LY, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Drainage south of Hartford Hill in the vicinity of Silver
City having its source on the east side of American Flat
(Parkinson, 1874). "Hosea and Allan Grosch, two
brothers who were among the earliest prospectors in the
area, lived in a stone cabin there in 1857" (Carlson,
1985, 37). GNIS lists the name as American Ravine,
whereas Carlson calls it American Flat Ravine.
ANDES MINE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Minor Comstock producer located west of and adjacent
to the Consolidated Virginia Mine. The claim was
staked in 1859, and many shallow tunnels were driven
in the early 1860s. Operations were shut down from
the mid-1860s to the mid-1870s. The mine's main
productive period was from 1875-1878. Reported
production for the period 1875-1917 was approx.
$72,000 from about 7,000 tons for an average of a
little over $10 per ton. Through 1881 assessments of
about $500,000 were levied (Smith, 1943, 292; TE,
1876, Aug. 12, 3:3; WPA, 1941, no. 3, 1-3).
Anaconda Open Pit Mine, see YERINGTON MINE
Ancient Gold Placer, see SLATERS MINE
Anderson Creek, see PINE NUT CREEK
ANDERSON RANCH (DO, Mount Siegel 7.5’ quad.)
Historic site in the low foothills of the Pine Nut Mountains
on Pine Nut Creek approx. seven mi. SE of Gardnerville.
6
Mary B. Ansari
Argentine Mining District, see CARSON MINING
DISTRICT
ANTELOPE VALLEY (DO, Long Dry Canyon 7.5’ quad.)
Large valley containing Topaz Lake and bisected by the
West Walker River. It is surrounded by the Pine Nut
Mountains to the north, the Sierra Nevada on the west,
the Sweetwater Mountains to the south and the
Wellington Hills on the east. NSR 208 traverses its north
side and U.S. Hwy. 395 crosses its west side. The
northern portion of the valley is in Douglas County and
the southern portion in Mono County, Calif. The valley
was named for a large herd of antelope, numbering
from 30 to 50 that roamed
the valley in the early days
(Carlson, 1985, 38).
ARGO (LY, Fernley East 7.5’ quad.)
SP RR (now UP RR) siding, built in 1902, about five mi.
east of Fernley (Myrick, 1962-63, 50). "Perhaps named
for Argo in Cook County, Illinois or in Scott County, Iowa,
but stemming from Greek legend, the ship on which
Jason sailed to find the Golden Fleece" (Carlson, 1985,
40).
Arizona Mine, see GLOBE
CONSOLIDATED MINE
ARIZONA UTAH MINE
(ST, Virginia City 7.5’
quad.)
Listed in 1979 as an active
gold-silver operation in the
vicinity of American Flat
(Directory of Nev. Mine
Operations Active During
Calendar Yr., 1979, 57).
APACHE (LY, Stockton Flat
Well 7.5’ quad.)
In 1906, this was a new
Lyon County town on the
Carson & California
Railroad about 10 mi. from
the new mining camp of
Ramsey. It was the closest
point on the railroad to
Ramsey (LCT, 1906, Aug. 4,
3). The name honors a tribe
of nomadic Athapascan
Indians of northern Mexico
and the southwestern United
States (Carlson, 1985, 39).
ARRASTRA MINE (ST,
Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Comstock-era mine located
midway between NSR 341
and 342 one mi. SE of
Gold Hill (GNIS.) In
APPIAN SIDING (LY, Silver
The remains of an arrastra, a primitive ore crushing device used in the early Spanish ‘arrastra’ refers
Springs North 7.5’ quad.)
to a primitive mining mill
days on the Comstock (De Quille, 1947, 32)
made up of a circular
Railroad siding west of
rock-lined pit in which
Lahontan Reservoir near Silver Springs on the SP RR
broken ore is pulverized by stones attached to horizontal
(now UP RR) segment from Hazen to Churchill that was
poles fastened in a central pillar and dragged around
built in 1905 (McLane, 1982, Table 4, HSD - Lyon
the pit (Thrush, Paul W., 1968, A Dictionary of Mining,
County).
Mineral, and Related Terms: Washington D.C., U.S. Bur. of
Mines). This milling method was used by some of the
APPLE & BATES MINE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Mexican miners in the Comstock era.
Thirty-two-ft. claim, owned by Robert Apple and J. S.
Arrastra Spring, see ERASTRA SPRING
Bates, which was located south of the Belcher Mine. In
1864, the Gold Hill News described the mine as a
ARROWHEAD MINE (DO, Risue Canyon 7.5’ quad.)
"segregated portion of the Belcher" and reported that it
was being steadily worked. In 1865, the Segregated
Located on the west side of Risue Canyon in the
Belcher Mining Co. was formed by Robert Apple from
Wellington Mining District about 3 1/2 mi. from the
the Apple and adjacent Midas claim. Apple was
Eastside Ln.-Risue Rd. junction in Antelope Valley. “The
superintendent of the Segregated Belcher Mine and
Arrowhead Mine contains primary copper sulfide in the
later of the Sierra Nevada Mine in Virginia City and the
replacement deposits in the metamorphic rocks. Gold
New York Hoisting Works in Gold Hill (Doten, 1973,
and tungsten have been reported in this area” (Moore,
2287; GHN, 1864, May 20, 3:1; 1865, July 13, 3:1;
1969, 30). The prospects were first developed in the
Kelly, 1862, 176; SMR, 1867-68, 28).
late 1920s. In 1933, Peter Fox reported a rich gold
strike. In 1936, Fox organized a company called the
7
Nevada Heartland
Gold Mint Mining Co. Some gold was recovered, but the
amounts are not documented. In the early 1950s,
tungsten was recovered from the property. Starting in
the late 1950s, the Lovestedt brothers, Claude and
Andy, leased the mine for several yrs. and recovered a
fair amount of gold. Since 1978, there has been no
further activity (Nation, 2000, 201-07).
Ascuaga Ranch, see JACKS VALLEY RANCH
ASH (about the name): In the Carson City area, this
name commemorates early Euro-American settler,
Alexander Ash(e). In 1861, Ash built a mill in Gregory’s
Cañon to the west of Carson City. This led to the canyon
becoming known as Ash’s Canyon. According to a
Nevada Centennial Committee report, Alexander Ash
arrived in Eagle Valley in 1850 (Angel, 1881, 539,
541; NCC Ormsby County, 1964, 1).
ARTESIA (about the name): "Named for artesian
[flowing] wells in the surrounding area" (Carlson, 1985,
41).
ARTESIA (LY, Artesia Lake 7.5’ quad.)
Former town site in northern Smith Valley on Artesia
Lake. Homesteaders began arriving in the early 1900s,
and by 1910, a change in the Homestead Act and
nearby copper mining activity resulted in a land rush to
the area around Artesia Lake. In 1914, the community
gained a post office, and a school soon opened. After a
few yrs. it became evident that the wells could not
supply enough water to irrigate the fields for the
homesteaders. By the early 1920s, many of the farms
were abandoned (Paher, 1970, 86). A 1921-22 Nev.
mining district map shows the location of the settlement
of Artesia (Lincoln, 1923). The post office closed in 1926
(Gannett & Paher, 1983, 35).
ASH CANYON (CC, Carson City 7.5’ quad.)
Major Carson Range canyon having its origin on the east
flank of Snow Valley Peak and its mouth west of urban
Carson City about one mi. north of Kings Canyon. Henry
Gregory and James Riddle built the first sawmill in the
area in 1859 on Mill Creek (now called Ash Canyon
Creek) in what was then known as Gregory’s Cañon. It
was first called Ash’s Cañon in 1861 when Alexander
Ash(e) built a team-driven quartz mill there. Ash also
built a sawmill in the same canyon, and both were
destroyed by a flood in winter of 1861-62. The canyon
was still designated as Gregory’s Cañon on many legal
records in the 1880s and on an 1890 map and was also
referred to as Eagle Canyon and Mill Canyon (Angel,
1881, 539, 541; AT, 1979, Mar. 18, 3; Bence and
Chalmers, 1890; GNIS; NCC Ormsby County, 1964, 1;
OCD, v. 7, 274, 359, recorded 1865).
ARTESIA LAKE (LY, Artesia Lake 7.5’ quad.)
This body of water is located at the north end of Smith
Valley. With a surface area in good water yrs. of
about four square mi., the lake is the remnant of a much
larger Pleistocene-period lake that covered 117 square
mi. known as Lake Wellington. The lake name is
apparently a shortened form of artesian for the wells in
the basin (Mifflin and Wheat, 1979. 18). The lake is fed
primarily by ground water and often goes dry during
periods of drought (Calif. Dept. Water Resources, 1992,
44).
ASH CANYON CREEK (CC, Carson City 7.5’ quad.)
Stream having its source on the NE flank of Snow Valley
Peak at about 8,000 ft. elevation and flowing through
Ash Canyon toward urban Carson City. Mill Creek was
an early name for this stream. Myron Angel described
Mill Creek as a "small but rapid stream flowing from the
Sierra and entering Eagle Valley near Carson City, its
rapid fall making it valuable for propelling machinery
hence its name." It is shown on an 1865 plat as Mill
Creek in Gregory’s Cañon (Angel, 1881, 531; GNIS;
OCD, v.7, 274, recorded 1865; USGS, Carson City 7.5'
Quad. Rept., ca. 1968).
ARTESIA LAKE STATE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
(LY, Artesia Lake 7.5’ quad.)
Wildlife reserve encompassing all of Artesia Lake. GNIS
lists Alkali Lake State Wildlife Management Area as an
alternate name.
ATCHESON RANCH (LY, Sweetwater Creek 7.5’ quad.)
Shown on a 1953 map about 3/4 mi. west of Roach
Ranch on southern Sweetwater Flat (NDH, 1953).
ARTESIA RANCH (LY, Artesia Lake 7.5’ quad.)
Shown on a 1969 map in northern Smith Valley north of
Artesia Lake (Moore, 1969, pl.2).
ATCHISON MINE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
This early Comstock claim was located in Virginia City
north of the Ophir Mine. In 1886, early settler Emanuel
Penrod wrote, “Threats were made to cut down claims to
Arts Alliance Building, see CARSON BREWING
COMPANY
8
Mary B. Ansari
two hundred ft., so we each six of our
company selected his man, and deeded off
fifty ft. each, making 300 ft. in all. The 300
ft. came off the north end of the Ophir. This
was afterwards called the Atchison.” The
claim was named for T.J. Atchison who
recorded it on Sept. 1, 1859 (Carlson, 1985,
42).
ATCHISONS DITCH (CC, New Empire 7.5’
quad.)
Shown on an 1862 map as running north
from the Carson River for about two mi. to
the Silver State Reduction Works (Mexican
Mill) near Empire City (Bancroft, 1862,
map).
ATHENS MINE (CC, Carson City 7.5’ quad.)
Mining property located in the Voltaire
Mining District south of Ash Canyon and
west ofLooking up Ash Canyon and Ash Canyon Creek drainage (photo by author)
Taylor Spring. Its location is shown on an
1870 plat of the Ash Property Flume. The mine opened
in 1865 and some of its ore was treated in a quartz mill
located in Carson City. In 1910-11, this mine was
reactivated when several sample runs of ore were
treated in a three-stamp mill (GNIS; Lincoln, 1923, 200;
OCD, v. 13, 50, recorded 1870; Overton, 1947, 43).
Aurora Pines Girls Facility, see CHINA SPRINGS
YOUTH CAMP
AYRES & HOPKINS MINE (CC)
Was located in the eastern Carson Range near Clear
Creek and active in the late 1870s. J.J. Ayres was
president of the mine (MA, 1877, Oct 17, 3:2;1877;
Nov. 18, 3:2).
9
Nevada Heartland
10
Bucklands as it looks today (courtesy of Evan Pellegrini)
B
and named for its original locator, Hiram Bacon. Bacon,
who owned other valuable mining property in the area,
became quite wealthy but had a wife who dissipated his
fortune. He was reported to have died a pauper in a
Placerville, Calif. almshouse. According to Carlson, the
claim was taken up by the Consolidated Imperial, but its
name has been retained (Carlson, 1955, 18; CP No. 7,
M & SP, 1876, v.33, Oct. 14, 249; TE, 1866, Dec. 7,
3:1)
B & C Tungsten Mine, see LAST LAUGH MINE
B, H and V MINE (LY, Churchill Butte 7.5’ quad.)
Located on the south side of Churchill Butte directly north
of the Fort Churchill Historic Monument, the property
contains scheelite mineralization in silicated limestone
near a contact with granite. Thirty-eight tons of sorted
ore, assaying 0.6 % WO3, were shipped in 1943-44
(Moore, 1969, 24). It is a.k.a. the Ruth Mine (McLane,
1982, Table 4, HSD - Lyon County).
BADGER MINING DISTRICT (ST, Virginia City 7.5’
quad.)
Shown on a 1923 map as located in the SE corner of
Storey County four mi. SW of Cooney Spring (Moran,
1923, map).
Back Fox Ditch, see FOX DITCH, BACK
BADGER SPRING (CC, New Empire 7.5’ quad.)
Brunswick Canyon water source located about four mi.
up the canyon from the Carson River. Presumably named
BACON MINE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Forty-five-ft. Gold Hill claim which was staked in 1859
11
Nevada Heartland
mi. north of Jobs Canyon and flowing into Sheridan
Creek about 1/4 mi west of the settlement of Sheridan.
It is named for the David H. Barber family, who settled
near the creek in Carson Valley in the early 1850s. Ben
Palmer probably was one of the first African American
residents of Nev. In 1853, he settled on 320 acres
slightly south of Genoa. See also PALMER (BEN) RANCH.
He came to Carson Valley with his sister, Charlotte and
her family. Charlotte was married to a white man by the
name of Barber, and she and her husband settled on
400 acres adjacent to Palmer. The Palmer - Barber
Ranch served as a wayside inn on the Carson River
Route to Calif. When Charlotte Barber died in 1885,
her funeral was one of the largest ever seen in Douglas
County at that time.
for the western badger, or its burrows, which are
common in all heavy sage-covered regions Nev.
(Carlson, 1985, 44).
BAILY MINE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Claim located east of Virginia City, adjacent to the
Cosmopolitan claim on the Brunswick Lode. In the early
1870s, the surface was explored with trenches, and ore
valued from $50,000-$60,000 was reported extracted
(Lord, 1883, pl. 3; WPA, 1941, no. 4, 1).
BALD MOUNTAIN: (about the name): The name is
descriptive of mountains which appear relatively devoid
of vegetation at their higher elevations (Carlson, 1985,
45).
One of Barber’s sons, Lyman, became a successful
rancher south of Carson Valley in Calif. (Smith, 1994,
v.2, 85-87). David Barber is listed as having 400 acres
of farming and meadowland in Carson Valley in 1856
(DCKR, Bk. B, 21). An 1861 survey shows David Barber
located on the Carson River Route about 1/2 mi. north
of Benjamin Palmer’s place (CVHS, 1971). The property
is listed under D.H. Barber in the tax rolls (DCAR, 1866).
It is listed under the estate of D.H. Barber in the 1875
DCAR. Benjamin (l854 – 1925), Charlotte (1813 –
1885), Elizabeth (1853 – 1912) and Thomas (1847 –
1907) Barber and other family members are buried in
the Mottsville Cemetery. Ben Palmer is buried in the
same plot.
BALD MOUNTAIN, elev. 9206 ft. (DO, Double Spring
7.5’ quad.)
A two-mi.-long arcuate ridge in the Pine Nut Mountains
containing four summits of about the same altitude. This
ridge was shown as Mount Hope on the 1866 military
map by Cols. Drew and Wilson (Maule, 1938, 6).
BALD MOUNTAIN, elev. 9544 ft. (LY, Wichman Canyon
7.5’ quad.)
A north-south elongated mountain, devoid of trees at its
summit, crowning the Pine Grove Hills.
Baltic/Baltic Switch, see SCALES
Barnett, see BUCKLANDS
Baltic Mine, see TROJAN MINE
BARTON SPRINGS (LY, Como 7.5’ quad.)
Water source in the northern Pine Nut Mountains about
2 1/2 mi. NE of Rawe Peak. The springs are named for
George Chester Barton, who had a small mine in the
vicinity (Kay Winters, 2000, pers. commun.). He was
Lyon County deputy sheriff from 1929-1966. His
mother, Emma Nevada Parker, was born in 1873 and
married Thomas Barton, a Yerington barber, who died
in 1897 when Chester was three yrs. old. She married
A.J. ‘Jack’Loftus, who operated a dry goods store in
Dayton. Chester attended Dayton schools, and worked
in mining camps around the state before becoming
deputy sheriff. He owned and maintained the Dayton
water system (LCR, 1991, 23-26).
BALTIMORE CONSOLIDATED MINE (ST, Virginia City
7.5’ quad.)
Comstock-era mining property at the north end of
American Flat about one mi. SW of Gold Hill. The
original claim included approx. 1,200 ft. on the
American Flat Branch of the Comstock Lode. Work on
the property commenced in 1862, and a threecompartment shaft was started in the mid-1860s. The
ore bodies were small and soon exhausted; the mine
closed in the late 1880s. There was no reported
production, and assessments of about $1,015,000 were
made (Becker, 1882, 21; Church, 1879, 1; Smith, 1943,
293; WPA, 1941, no. 5, 1).
BASALT (about the name): Name descriptive of a hard,
dense, dark volcanic rock composed chiefly of
plagioclase, pyroxene, and olivine, and often having a
glassy appearance.
Banning Slough, see MARTIN SLOUGH
BARBER CREEK (DO, Minden 7.5’ quad.)
Stream having its source in the Carson Range about 3/4
12
Mary B. Ansari
BASALT HILL, elev. 6162 ft. (LY, Virginia City 7.5’
quad.)
High point about 1 1/2 mi. west of Silver City.
BEECHERS SPRING (LY, Mount Etna 7.5’ quad.)
This water source is not indicated on the USGS
topographic maps. It is listed in GNIS at lat. 384105N,
long. 1190924W, which is in the Pine Grove Hills to the
west of Mount Etna.
BASALT MESA, elev. 5235 ft. (LY, Virginia City 7.5’
quad.)
Plateau on the western outskirts of Silver City.
BEHRMAN RANCH (DO, Gardnerville 7.5’ quad.)
Historic Douglas County ranch site shown on a mid1930s survey east of Centerville Ln. on the East Fork
Carson River between Rocky and Henningson sloughs
(USGS, 1944, sh. 2). An early 1920s map shows H.C.
(C.H.?) Behrman’s property south of Hogrefe (Rocky)
Slough (Allen, n.d.). Cord Henry Behrman (1870 – 1959)
and Katherine W. Behrman (1880 – 1939) are buried in
Garden Cemetery in Gardnerville. They were married
in 1898 near Gardnerville (Robinson, 2000, 10).
Basin and Range Province, see GREAT BASIN
Bassett Hills, see PARKER BUTTE
BATH RANCH (CC, Carson City 7.5’ quad.)
Shown on a historic sites map west of downtown Carson
City about 1/2 mi. SW of the Winnie Ranch site. This
ranch was owned by the John Bath family in the 1860s
(CCP, 1976, map; NCC Ormsby County, 1964, 30).
BELCHER MINE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
After the Consolidated Virginia and California mines,
this and the Crown Point mines were the largest
producers on the Comstock. The Belcher is located about
1/4 mi. south of the Crown Point Mine in Gold Hill. The
1040-ft. claim was staked in 1859 and first worked in
1860. In 1871, the fabulously rich ore body, later
known as the Crown Point-Belcher Bonanza, was
discovered. Apparently the boundary line between the
two mines passed through the heart of the bonanza,
dividing it into two almost equal parts. The Belcher's
portion of the bonanza proved to be richer and more
productive. At that time William Sharon controlled the
Belcher, and he and his associates, William Ralston and
Darius Ogden Mills, profited handsomely from the
bonanza. The mine operated on a fairly regular basis
through 1920. In 1915, the Belcher, Crown Point, and
Yellow Jacket mines united to form the Jacket-Crown
Point-Belcher Mining Co. Reported production for the
period 1868-1916 was about $35,233,000 from an
estimated 960,000 tons for an average of a little over
$36.50 per ton. Dividends of approx. $15,397,000
were paid, the last of which was paid in 1876. Through
1881, assessments of about $2,419,000 had been
made. In the early 1980s, the property was held by
Houston International Minerals Corp.
Bauns Cemetery, see VIRGINIA CITY CEMETERIES
BEAMAN LAKES (LY, Oreana Peak 7.5’ quad.)
Marshy area containing small lakes and ponds in
western Smith Valley about five mi. north of Wellington.
The lakes, which are not shown on early maps, are
thought to be fed by irrigation runoff (Calif. Dept.
Water Resources, 1992, 10). According to Matheus (ca.
1995, 31), E.P. Beaman had a large dairy ranch just
north of Wedertz Rd. Much of it was covered by what is
now known as Beaman Lakes. He was listed as Elijah P.
Beaman in the 1910 census (Dills, 1984). His marker in
Hillcrest Cemetery indicates that he was born in 1855
and died in 1944.
Bedford & McDonald Toll Rd., see CARSON CITY HALFWAY HOUSE TOLL ROAD
BEE RANCH (LY, Yerington 7.5’ quad.)
In the early 1900s, this property was shown west of the
Walker River in Mason Valley about five mi. SW of
Yerington (USGS, 1915, Yerington topographic sh.). It is
a descriptive name for a ranch where bees were raised
for making honey. Around 1915, the following was
reported in a promotional publication: “Owing to our
mild winters, bees--in these mountain-encircled valleys-require the minimum of attention. The present output is
meagre compared to what might be produced should
the business be given fuller attention; and Lyon County
owns more than one-fourth of all the bees in Nevada,
and produces more than one-fourth of the
honey” (White, ca. 1915, 11).
The mine was named for E. Belcher, one of the original
locators. Before arriving on the Comstock in 1859,
Belcher was reported to be a Calif. rancher. He was
described to be a gentleman of quiet disposition who
possessed good business acumen. He is reported to
have returned to Calif. after selling his Comstock mining
interests (Becker, 1882, 18; Carlson, 1955, 18; Church,
1879, 1; Comp, 1980; Lincoln, 1923, 226; Smith, 1943,
13
Nevada Heartland
128-31, 293; Stoddard, 1950, 27; WPA, 1941, no. 6,
1-6).
BEST & BELCHER MINE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
This precious metal claim was originally staked in 1859
having about 224 ft. along the Comstock Lode between
the Consolidated Virginia and Gould & Curry mines. The
claim was later expanded to a total of approx. 537 ft.
The mine operated in the early 1860s but was shut
down from 1865-1872 because of problems in
assessment collection and a general depression in mining
in the area. The property never paid any dividends; its
production was negligible; and it levied assessments of
about $2,631,000. In the early and mid-1980s, the
claim was being explored by the United Mining Corp.
through its New Savage Mine. The name commemorates
a Mr. Best and E. Belcher, who purchased the claim from
Henry Comstock and disposed of it soon after. Little is
known about Best, who appears to have left the
Comstock at an early date. The reader is referred to
the description of the Belcher Mine for information on E.
Belcher (Angel, 1881, 613; Becker, 1882, 15; Carlson,
1955, 19; CP No. 13, M & SP, 1876, v. 33, Dec. 23,
420; Stuart, 1909, 42; WPA, 1941, no. 7, 1-4).
BELLS RANCH (DO, Double Spring 7.5’ quad.)
Shown on the 1893 USGS Markleeville topographic
map about 1/2 mi. west of Sugar Loaf on Pine Nut
Creek in the western Pine Nut Mountains (McLane, 1982,
Table 4, HSD - Douglas County).
BENNETT CANYON (DO, Genoa 7.5’ quad.)
Drainage about 1/4 mi. north of Chedic Canyon at the
NW end of Jacks Valley. No information was found on
the origin of the name.
Bently Nevada, see G.E. ENERGY
BENWAY MINING DISTRICT (LY, Weber Dam 7.5’
quad.)
Located in extreme eastern Lyon County at the south
end of a ridge extending SW from the Desert
Mountains approx. 10 mi. north of Schurz in Mineral
County and one mi. west of U.S. Highway 95. Little is
known of the history of the district, and production, if
any, was small in copper, silver and gold (John Schilling,
1968, rept. on file at the NBM&G).
Bewley Ditch, see SPRAGG-ALCORN-BEWLEY DITCH
BIDDLEMAN SPRING (ST, Martin Canyon 7.5’ quad.)
Flowery Range water source l 1/2 mi. NW of San Juan
Hill and about six mi. SE of Clark Station. A 1923 map
labels it Bidleman Spring. It appears to be named for
William (Billy) E. Bidleman who was a rancher in the
Virginia City area in the early 1860s and in 1874
owned a ranch 30 mi. east of Reno on the Truckee River.
A 1948 BLM map listed it as Biedeman Spring
(Kelly,1862, 117; 1863, 174; Moran, 1923, map; TE,
1874, Mar. 10, 3:1; U.S.G.S., ca. 1957, Churchill Butte
15’ Quad. Rept.).
BERRY GLORY HOLE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Post Comstock-era mining operation on the north side of
Sixmile Canyon approx. one mi. east of Flowery Peak.
The mine was discovered in 1918 by two brothers,
William and Tom Berry. In the 1920s, the mine had a
production of approx. 250,000 tons, yielding about
$945,000 for an average of about $3.75 per ton. It
was reported to be a true glory hole and is a.k.a. the
Flowery Mine (Bonham & Papke, 1969, pl. 2; Stoddard,
1950, 49).
BIDWELL MINE (CC, New Empire 7.5’ quad.)
Mining property reported in 1969 to be near the head
of Hackett Canyon in the northern Pine Nut Mountains
one mi. east of Badger Spring. The mine is a.k.a. the
Comstock Extension Mine, a name which presumably
refers to an extension of the famed Comstock Lode. The
mine contains fissure veins in andesite containing silver
and gold (Moore, 1969, 31).
BESSEMER MINE (CC, New Empire 7.5’ quad.)
Delaware Mining District mine reported in 1969 to be
located 3/4 mi. south of Badger Spring in Brunswick
Canyon. It takes its name from the Bessemer
Consolidated Mining Co., which owned the property. The
mine contained a large iron ore deposit from which
commercial shipments were made in 1919-1920. It
contained a deposit of hematite and magnatite, with the
ore occurring in Tertiary breccia and andesite flows.
Between 1944 and 1954, some ore was shipped for use
in high-density concrete ship ballast (Moore, 1969, 31).
Biedeman Spring, see BIDDLEMAN SPRING
BIG BEND OF THE CARSON RIVER (LY, Silver Springs
South 7.5’ quad.)
Formerly on the Carson River where it once meandered
around the NW end of the Dead Camel Mountains, this
Besset Mine, see BLACK LEDGE & BESSET MINE
14
Mary B. Ansari
Reported in 1873 as being in Ormsby County (now
called Carson City) near the Mexican Dam, this mine
was owned by the Empire Mining Company and
contained lead, silver, and gold ore. Presumably it was
named for nearby Bismark Peak (CA, 1873, Jan. 8, 3:2).
portion of the river is now inundated by the Lahontan
Reservoir. The bend, which was about 10 mi. in length,
was in the shape of a horseshoe and was also called by
that name (Carlson, 1985, 137) and Horseshoe Lake
(LCT, Dec. 5, 1896, 3:2) as well as the Great Bend of
the Carson River (Bray, 1913 212).
BISMARK PEAK, 7529 ft. (DO, Mineral Peak 7.5’
quad.)
Mountain in the Pine Nut Mountains on the Carson City Douglas County boundary about ten mi. SE of downtown
Carson City. "The name, possibly given by German
settlers, was earlier spelled Bismarck" (Carlson, 1985,
52).
BIG CRYSTAL MINE (LY, Nye Canyon 7.5’ quad.)
Silica deposit situated on the north side of Nye Canyon
approx. 16 mi. SE of Wellington and two mi. east of
NSR 338. Moore (1969, 40) reported that only small
trenches and pits had been dug on the deposit and that
more extensive exploration might reveal a larger
deposit.
BLACK (about the name): In most of the following
entries, this name is descriptive of the dark or black
color of a rock or feature.
BIG DITCH (DO, Minden 7.5’ quad.)
Carson Valley irrigation ditch about one mi. east of
Foothill Rd. in the vicinity of Sheridan and Mottsville.
BLACK DIAMOND MINE (LY, Yerington 7.5’ quad.)
Shown on a 1915 map in the Singatse Range one mi.
NW of the Bluestone Mine (USGS, 1915, Yerington
topographic sh.).
Big Ditch (Lyon County), see WALKER RIVER DITCH
BIG MEADOWS (LY, Silver Springs North 7.5’ quad.)
This location, which is mentioned by Bancroft (1890,
214) as being near Williams Station, is now inundated
by Lahontan Reservoir.
Black Horse Gulch, see SILVER LAKE
Black Lead Mine, see CARSON BLACK LEAD MINE
BIG SLOUGH (DO, Woodfords 7.5’ quad.)
Marshy waterway shown on a 2004 map west of NSR
88 slightly north of the Calif. state line (Multi-Agency
Geographic Information Center, 2004). This name
doesn’t appear on USGS topographic maps.
BLACK LEDGE & BESSET MINE (CC, Carson City 7.5’
quad.)
Reported in 1876 to be four or five mi. NW of Carson
City, this mine was originally located and opened in the
late 1860s. It was relocated about 1874, and Messrs.
Besset and Pippin, the owners, erected a five-stamp mill
and dug a 1300-ft. tunnel. It showed high values in
silver. Possibly it was the same as the Bassette Mine (CA,
1876, Dec. 10, 3:1; M&SP, v.33, Aug. 19, 1876, 132).
Bigler, Lake, see LAKE TAHOE
Bill Johnsons, see JOHNSONS (BILL)
BIRMINGHAM SLOUGH (LY, Hinkson Slough 7.5’ quad.)
Marshy area described in a 1933 publication as
bordering the Miller & Lux lands (Ag. Experiment
Station, 1933, 62). It is not shown on current maps or
listed in GNIS. J.O. Birmingham was an early settler in
Mason Valley. In 1862, a survey was conducted for
Birmingham of 160 acres on the Walker River about 16
mi. SE of Fort Churchill (LCSR, Bk. A, May 31, 1862,
122). Birmingham was listed as residing in Mason Valley
in the early 1890s (NHS 1890-91 Lyon County card file
directory).
Black Monument, see BLACK MOUNTAIN, 6480+ ft.
BLACK MOUNTAIN, elev. 8161 ft. (LY, Desert Creek
Peak 7.5’ quad.)
Summit in the Sweetwater Mountains about two mi. SE of
Desert Creek Peak.
BLACK MOUNTAIN, elev. 6480+ ft. (LY, Yerington 7.5’
quad.)
Dark colored peak in the Singatse Range approx. 1
1/2 mi. west of Nordyke. In Moore (1969, pl. 2), it is
called Black Monument.
BISMARK MINE (CC, Mineral Peak 7.5’ quad.)
15
Nevada Heartland
acquiring stock in several Comstock mines. In 1871, Bliss,
Yerington and Darius Ogden Mills invested in timber
land in the Lake Tahoe area and bought a flume
company that eventually gave them control of the eastshore forests in the vicinity of Glenbrook. Bliss built the
well-known Glenbrook Hotel and was a partner in the
Lake Tahoe Narrow Gauge RR, which freighted lumber
and timber to a summit of the Carson Range where they
were carried by V-flume to Carson City and then by the
V & T RR to the Comstock. Bliss served as president of
the Carson-Tahoe Lumber and Fluming Company and
was an early developer of the Glenbrook Bay area. He
was one of the first Euro-American settlers to foresee
Lake Tahoe's potential as a future recreational area. He
died in 1907 at age 74 (Myrick, 1962, v.1, 417-423;
RGJ, 1995, Feb. 12, 12C; Scott, 1957, v.1, 270).
BLACK PEAK (LY, Wilson Canyon 7.5’ quad.)
This location listed in GNIS is in the Singatse Range 1
3/4 mi. SW of Black Mountain.
BLACK POINT SPRING (LY, Parker Butte 7.5’ quad.)
This water source is shown on the USGS 15' Wabuska
quad., but it is not named. It is listed in GNIS at lat.
390911N, long. 1190629W, which is where the Walker
River flows between Parker Butte and the Desert
Mountains about 3/4 mi. west of Parker Ranch.
BLACKHAWK CANYON (ST, Martin Canyon 7.5’ quad.)
Flowery Range drainage in T18N, R22E
BLISS (CC, Marlette Lake 7.5’ quad.)
Name of a former settlement near Secret Harbor at
Lake Tahoe (Carlson, 1985, 54).
BLACKHAWK MINE (ST, Martin Canyon 7.5’ quad.)
Southern Flowery Range copper mine one mi. SW of
Cooney Spring and 3 1/2 mi. east of Tibbie Peak.
Spotty, low-grade copper minerals occur as small
disseminated grains in the metamorphic and granitic
rocks (Bonham & Papke, 1969, 107)..
Bliss Country Club, see GLENBROOK GOLF COURSE
BLISS CREEK (CC, Marlette Lake 7.5’ quad.)
Stream about two mi. in length which flows into Lake
Tahoe at Secret Harbor (GNIS).
BLACKHAWK SPRING (ST, Martin Canyon 7.5’ quad.)
Flowery Range water source in T18N, R22E, Sec. 25.
BLACKWELL RANCH (CC, Carson City 7.5’ quad.)
Historic Eagle Valley ranch site about 1/4 mi. east of
Lone Mountain. Horse and cattle brands were
registered by Mrs. M.H. Blackwell in 1900. The ranch
later became the Steinheimer Ranch (CCP, 1976, map;
Ormsby County Register of Marks & Brands, Book No. 1,
recorded May 18, 1900).
BLISS MEADOWS (CC, Marlette Lake 7.5’ quad.)
Located east of NSR 28 SE of Secret Harbor. Bliss Creek
flows through the meadows (Hammon & Mathis, 1947,
map).
BLACKWELLS POND (CC, Carson City 7.5’ quad.)
Located south of Carson City Airport between Lone
Mountain and Lompa Ln. on the former site of the
Blackwell Ranch, which later became the Steinheimer
Ranch. Now the area has been made into a three-acre
neighborhood park (carson-city.nv.us; Oldham, 1991,
158).
BLOSSOM CANYON (DO, Double Spring 7.5’ quad.)
Drainage in the southwestern Pine Nut Mountains on the
NW side of Bald Mountain. Possibly named for the
Blossom family, early Euro-American settlers in the area.
Noah Blossom was elected Douglas County treasurer in
1870 and re-elected in 1872. Blossom and J.R. Johnson
had a store in Genoa around 1880 (Angel, 1881, 37778).
Bliss Peak, see DUANE BLISS PEAK
Blanchard Lime Quarries, see DAYTON LIME WORKS
Blue Danube Mine, see BLUE METAL MINE
BLISS (about the name): Several features bear the name
commemorating Duane Leroy Bliss, a prominent Lake
Tahoe basin lumberman in the late 1800s. In 1860, Bliss
moved from Calif. to the Comstock Lode, where he soon
became a manager of a quartz mill. Later he
participated with Henry M. Yerington and others in
BLUE JAY (about the name): The name is descriptive of
the Western Blue Jay or Steller’s Jay, a crested bluecolored bird commonly found in Nev.
BLUE JAY BUTTE, elev. 5223 ft. (LY, Yerington 7.5’
16
Mary B. Ansari
operation were 1917 through 1920, which marked the
main period of production of the Bluestone Mine
(McLane, 1982, Table 4, HSD - Lyon County).
quad. NE)
Early name for a low ridge east of Yerington between
Luhr Hill and the Wassuk Range. This name is shown on a
map by Dwight T. Smith (1904, 4-5). The name does not
appear in GNIS.
BLUESTONE CROSSING (LY, Yerington 7.5’ quad.)
NCB RR crossing shown on a 1918 map (Knopf, 1918,
pl. 1) about 1 1/2 mi. north of Mason. The name was
for the nearby Bluestone Mine.
BLUE JAY MINE (LY, Yerington 7.5’ quad. NE)
Located on a low ridge, formerly known as Blue Jay
Butte, about four mi. east of Yerington. "Ore occurs in a
shear zone in granodiorite and consists of oxidized
copper minerals at the surface and chalcopyrite at
depth. There is no reported production" (Moore, 1969,
28).
BLUESTONE MINE (LY, Yerington 7.5’ quad.)
Situated on the east slope of the Singatse Range at an
altitude of 5400 ft., four mi. SW of Yerington and 1
1/2 mi. west of Mason. This mine is the oldest in the
Yerington Mining District. In the 1870s, it supplied
natural bluestone to the amalgamating mills on the
Comstock. Later a small smelter was built near the mine,
but the high costs of fuel that had to be hauled from the
railroad at Wabuska soon brought operations to a halt.
In 1917, the mine again became active (Knopf, 1918,
50, pl. 1). "Copper ore occurs in a garnetized mass of
limestone lying in fault contact with granodiorite...The
main production from the mine was from 1917 through
1920, when 400,000 tons with a gross value of
$3,570,000 were reported. In 1924, the mine was
taken over by Mason Valley Mines Co. and its
additional production was credited to the
company" (Moore, 1969, 26). The mine is now inactive.
BLUE METAL MINE (DO, Pine Nut Valley 7.5’ quad.)
Mining property at the south end of the Buckskin Range,
1 3/4 mi. SW of the Buckskin Mine. Corundum and
andalusite were discovered in old workings originally
worked for gold and copper by James S. Adams, Alex
Casting and Judge Clark J. Guild. In 1945, the U.S.
Bureau of Mines under the Strategic Minerals Act
contracted underground development. Overton (1947,
23) reported no production from the property (McLane,
1982, Table 4, HSD - Douglas County). In 1950, Alex
Casting relocated the Blue Metal claims as the Blue
Danube and continued assessment work through 1958.
There has been no further development (Nation, 2000,
171). The name appears to be descriptive of the blue
color of corundum found there.
The Bluestone Smelter was located on the east side of
the Singatse Range,1/2 mi. east of the Bluestone Mine
(Knopf, 1918, pl. 1). "This smelter was built in the 1880s
to process the copper ore from the Bluestone Mine. The
high cost of fuel, which had to be hauled from the
railroad at Wabuska, soon brought the operations to a
close” (McLane, 1982, Table 4, HSD - Lyon County).
According to Myrick (1962-63, 214), in 1901 area
copper mining activity was renewed when the smelter
started up with a full work force.
BLUE SULPHUR SPRINGS DISTRICT (ST, Virginia City
7.5’ quad.)
Most of this early-day mining district was in Storey and
Lyon counties with only a small portion around Empire
City in Ormsby County (now called Carson City). District
laws were passed in Mar. 1860 and are included at the
beginning of Eagle Valley and Washoe District Mining
Notices, Book A (on file at the CCRO). Later the district
became part of the Comstock District (Ansari, 1986, 14).
BOATERS BEACH (CC, Marlette 7.5’ quad.)
Carson City beach on Lake Tahoe’s east shore about
3/10 of a mile south of Secret Harbor. Its name reflects
that it is more easily accessed by boat than by trail.
Actually this beach is part of one long strip of sand
beach separated by a rocky promontory, with the north
half known as Boaters Beach and the south half as Creek
Beach. Both these names are local-usage names and
don’t appear on USGS topographic maps or in GNIS.
BLUESTONE (about the name): This is the miners’ term
for chalcanthite, which is a minor copper ore occurring in
the oxidized supergene zone above copper sulfide in
arid regions. Its name derives from its azure blue color
(American Geological Institute, 1997, 58).
BLUESTONE COPPER COMPANY RAILROAD (LY,
Yerington 7.5’ quad.)
A 2 1/2 mi.-long standard gauge line built in 1917 to
transfer the Bluestone copper ores from the mine to the
NCB RR. The ores were smelted at Thompson, approx.
16 mi. to the north. Probable dates of the railroad's
BOBS WELL (LY, Churchill Canyon Well 7.5’ quad.)
The name was on the Wheeler Survey maps during the
1876 expedition. It was approx. 6 1/2 mi. south of
17
Nevada Heartland
Fort Churchill in what is now known as Adrian Valley.
Bonner Shaft, see GOULD & CURRY MINE
BODIE FLAT (DO, Carters Station 7.5’ quad.)
Relatively level area bisected by U.S. Hwy. 395
approx. seven mi. SE of Gardnerville. The name honors
W.S. Bodey, who was the first to discover gold in the
Bodie Mining District in Esmeralda County, Nev. The
mining camp site of Bodie is now in Mono County, Calif.
The camp and other features were named for Bodey,
and the spelling is thought to have changed because of
a sign painter’s mistake or to preserve the correct
pronunciation. In 1859, Bodey located the first quartz
claim in the district, and in the early spring of 1860, he
became lost in a blizzard and perished (Carlson, 1985,
55).
Bonpland, Lake, see LAKE TAHOE
Boot Hill Cemetery, see FLOWERY CEMETERY
BOULDER HILL, elev. 6688 ft. (DO, Desert Creek Ranch
7.5’ quad.)
This high spot in the northeastern Wellington Hills is
named for the abundance of large rocks or boulders in
the area.
BOULDER HILL MINE (DO, Desert Creek Ranch 7.5’
quad.)
Inactive Wellington Mining District property on Boulder
Hill.
BOLSTER RANCH (LY, Wabuska 7.5’ quad.)
In 1971, this ranch was located on the Walker River
approx. four mi. north of Yerington and was to become
a unit of the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area
(GNIS; Smith and Associates, [1971], 77).
BOUNDARY BAY (DO, South Lake Tahoe 7.5’ quad.)
This is a very early name, not indicated on current maps,
extending south on Lake Tahoe from Elk Point to
Lakeside (Stateline.) The name was derived from the
boundary markers that delineated the Nev.-Calif. state
line. Beginning in 1858 with the Day-Marlette-Goddard
Survey, five federal and state surveys were made
before the final boundary was determined (Scott, 1973,
57). Later, from 1880 – 1900, the bay was known as
Sapphire Bay (Scott, 1957, 487; 1973, 52, 56) for the
sapphire blue color of its water.
BONANZA CITY (ST)
Listed by Bancroft (1890, 258) as a settlement in Storey
County. No other information has been found.
BONANZA TOLL ROAD (CC, Carson City 7.5’ quad.)
This major toll road that passed through Carson City
during the yrs. 1859 - 1868 collected over $4,000,000
in fees, making it the most profitable of the U.S. toll
roads during that period of history (Oldham, 1991, 17).
See also KINGS CANYON TOLL ROAD
BOURBON BEACH (LY, Silver Springs South 7.5’ quad.)
Shown on a map in a 1990 planning document at
Lahontan Reservoir about 1 1/2 mi. SE of Silver Springs
Beach (GNIS; LCMP, 1990, 95).
Bovard Mine, see GUILD-BOVARD MINE
Old photo taken from Gold Hill looking toward the site of Bower’s Mine in
Crown Point Ravine (photo collection Library of Congress)
18
BOWERS MINE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
This world-famous precious metal claim was one of the
first to be recorded in Gold Hill and was reported to be
the richest of the ‘Little Gold Hill Mines.’ Shortly after
the original Gold Hill discovery by James Finney and his
companions in early 1859, Lemuel Sanford ‘Sandy’
Bowers, along with Henry Comstock, Joe Plato, William
Knight, and James Rogers went to check out the new
discovery and, liking what they saw, located a 50-ft.
claim which they subdivided into five 10-ft. strips. The
Rogers claim, which was adjacent to the Bowers claim,
soon became the property of Allison ‘Eilley’ Orrum
Hunter Cowan, who ran a boarding house in the area.
Sandy and Eilley soon married, giving them 20 ft. on the
Mary B. Ansari
BOYLE (about the name): In the northern Pine Nut
Mountains this name commemorated Edward Dougherty
Boyle, who was involved in mining in the area around
1900. Boyle was a native of Ireland. In 1833, he came
to the U.S. with his parents and settled in Pennsylvania.
He migrated to Calif. in 1852, where he engaged in
mining. In 1863, he came to Nev. and became involved
in mining on the Comstock. He represented Storey
County for 12 yrs. in the State Senate. Prior to 1877, he
was in charge of the Waller Defeat and Justice mines in
lower Gold Hill. Then he became superintendent of the
Alta Mine for almost 25 yrs. In 1901, he became
manager of the North Rapidan Mines in Como. In Jan.
1902, he was fatally injured when his team of horses
became unmanageable on the trip from the mine to
Dayton (Wren, 1904, 359). In 1893, Boyle filed
locations on the North Rapidan claim (LCML, Dec. 18,
1893). On Jan. 2, 1902, Emmet Derby Boyle succeeded
his late father as general superintendent of the North
Rapidan Gold & Silver Mining Co. (Boyle, Emmet D.,
1899-1903, Papers). Emmett Derby Boyle (1879 1926) was Governor of Nev. from 1915-1922. He was
Nevada’s thirteenth governor, was a Democrat and the
first governor who was native to the state (Myles,
1972).
Comstock Lode. They built a house near their mine in
Crown Point Ravine and erected a mill called the Thistle
or Bowers Mill to process their ore.
The Bower's story is unusual among the early locators on
the Comstock in that they did not sell out early but
rather worked their claim for several yrs. and were
reported to have become Nevada's first millionaires.
Sandy Bowers, who was born in the Missouri back
woods, was described as honest, kind-hearted, convivial
and lacking in formal education. Eilley was born in
Scotland and became a Mormon convert after arriving
in the United States. She was reported to be twicedivorced before marrying Bowers.
It was not long before the Bowers were realizing
thousands of dollars a month from their fabled mine,
causing Sandy to remark that he had money to throw to
the birds. After building their fine home (Bower's
Mansion) in Washoe Valley and indulging in an
extended tour and shopping spree in Europe, the income
from their mine and mill started to decline. In 1868,
their mill was nearly buried by a spring flood and in
attempting to dig it out and repair it, Sandy protracted
a cold which steadily worsened, resulting in his death in
Apr. 1868 at about 35 yrs. of age. He is reported to
have left an estate of about $89,000, but creditors soon
took everything. After the mid-1870s Eilley became a
penniless wanderer, eking out a living by telling fortunes
with her crystal ball, which she called her ‘peep stone.’
She died in Oakland in 1903. Both Sandy and Eilley
are buried on a hill behind Bower's Mansion (Carlson,
1955, 20; CP No. 9, M & SP, 1876, v.33, Nov. 25, 352;
Smith, 1943, 96; TE, 1868; Apr. 22, 2:4; Virginia City
Times, v. 1, no. 1,1).
BOYLE PEAK (LY, Como 7.5’ quad.)
Local name for a summit in the Pine Nut Mountains north
of Lyon Peak, near the site of Como (Russell, 1981, 60,
pl. 1).
BOYLE TUNNEL (LY, Como 7.5’ quad.)
Was located in the northern Pine Nut Mountains about
1/2 mi. SW of Como, directly north of the Hulley-Logan
Mine. Around 1900, E.D. Boyle took charge of the North
Rapidan Mine and built a tunnel, 3/4 mi. long from the
lower levels of the North Rapidan to Onion Creek, to
drain the mine. The tunnel was an economic failure
(Russell, 1981, 60, pl. 1).
BOYD BRIDGE & TOLL ROAD (DO, Minden 7.5’ quad.)
This historic bridge site is about 1/2 mi. north of the
confluence of the East and West forks of the Carson
River in Douglas County. In Dec. 1861, William H. Boyd
was granted a franchise to provide a road to join
Genoa to the Cradlebaugh Toll Rd. (Desert Rd.), which
connected to the Esmeralda mines. The Boyd Toll Rd.
extended from Genoa to Desert Station. In 1863, when
the telegraph line from Placerville, Calif. through Genoa
was built along this route, it was a.k.a. Telegraph Rd.
(McLane, 1982, Table 4, HSD - Douglas County).
Brewery Arts Center, see CARSON BREWING
COMPANY
BREAK-A-HEART RANCHES, NOS. 1 & 2 (LY, Misfits
Flat 7.5’ quad.)
Shown on a 1969 map on the Carson River west of Fort
Churchill (Moore, 1969, pl. 2). See also (1) HAUFMAN,
(2) SILVER SPRINGS.
BOYDS (DO, Double Spring 7.5’ quad.)
Historic site shown on the 1893 USGS Markleeville
topographic map on Pine Nut Creek in the Pine Nut
Mountains about one mi. SW of the Cherokee Mine.
Bridge House, see CRADLEBAUGH BRIDGE
BROCKLISS SLOUGH (DO, Minden 7.5’ quad.)
19
Nevada Heartland
name might derive from its location relative to Browns
Station in Pershing County on CP RR east of Lovelock.
Water channel in SW Carson Valley near Walleys Hot
Springs and Centerville. It is named for the Brockliss
family, early Euro-American settlers in the area.
According to Angel (1881, 373), A.R. Brockliss owned
840 acres in Carson Valley. Anthony Richard Brockliss
(1820 – 1892) was a native of Northhamptonshire,
England and is buried in the Mottsville Cemetery. His
wife, Ellen, was born in England in the early 1830s.
Around 1850, they moved to Calif. and lived for several
yrs. near Hangtown on the American River where he cut
and stored ice to sell to surrounding settlements. In 1857,
he built the Brockliss Bridge, a toll bridge over the South
Fork of the American River. Ellen ran a station known as
Brockliss Tavern. They sold the bridge and tavern and
moved to Carson Valley (NCC Douglas County, 1964,
Frances Brockliss Lampe). Anthony R. Brockliss (1852 –
1924) lived in Sheridan, Nev. and is buried in the
Mottsville Cemetery.
BROWNS STATION (LY, Churchill Butte 7.5’ quad.)
On the Carson River about three mi. above old Fort
Churchill, this small stage station was established in
1853 by George Brown (Angel, 1881, 36).
BRUNSWICK (about the name): This Carson City name is
borne by several historic and present-day features
along the Carson River to the east of the site of Empire
City. Rocha found that the name appeared to have
been first applied to the Brunswick Mill, which was built
in 1863-64. By the later part of 1866, Ormsby County
(now called Carson City) had set up a Brunswick Precinct
for voting. After that, as the mill grew in importance, the
name began to be applied to the canyon and other
nearby features. Carlson wrote that whether Brunswick is
the name of an early settler in the area or a name
derived from for a cultural or geographic feature
elsewhere remains a matter of conjecture (Carlson,
1985, 60; Cleator, 1913, 204; G. Rocha, 1995, pers.
comm.).
Broken Dam, see RUHENSTROTH DAM
BROWN MEADOWS (DO, Double Spring 7.5’ quad.)
Lies about 1 1/2 mi. east of U.S. Hwy. 395 where the
highway crosses Double Spring Flat. A land survey
conducted on July 5, 1863 of woodland in the mountains
east of Carson Valley makes mention of Jackson and
Brown’s land (DCR, Misc. A, 9). According to James
Hickey, George and Charlie Brown built the East Fork
Hotel (Hickey, 1966, 21). Ed Brown was an owner of the
Golden Gate Mine in Antelope Valley (Nation, 2000,
35). Whether the meadow was named for one of these
early settlers has not been determined.
BRUNSWICK (CC, New Empire 7.5’ quad.)
Name given to a station/siding on the V & T RR.
Established in the early 1870s, it was about one mi. west
of Empire City and was named for the Brunswick Mill
(Cleator, 1913, 204).
BRUNSWICK CANYON (CC, New Empire 7.5’ quad.)
Major canyon in the NW Pine Nut Mountains terminating
at the Carson River near the sites of the Brunswick Mill
and Empire City. An earlier name for the canyon
appears to have been Merrimac(k) Cañon for the
nearby Merrimac Mill. It was designated as Merrimac
Cañon on the 1875 Map of [the] Survey of the Virginia
and El Dorado Narrow Gauge RR (GNIS; Ormsby Co
Assessment of Property, Dec. 1865). Marble Canyon
also might have been an early name for the canyon (CA,
1867, Dec. 24, 2:3). See also MARBLE CANYON.
BROWN RANCH (CC, New Empire 7.5’ quad.)
Shown on a map surveyed in 1934 about 1/4 mi. south
of the site of Empire City near the west bank of the
Carson River (USGS, 1944, map, sh. 1).
Brown Ranch, see NORMAN BROWN RANCH
Browns East and West End Cemeteries, see VIRGINIA
CITY CEMETERIES
BRUNSWICK CANYON IRON PROPERTY (CC, New
Empire 7.5’ quad.)
Reported in 1953 as having 3,000 - 5,000 tons of iron
ore to a depth of 50 ft. This appears to be the same
property that was reported in the Nevada State Journal
in 1953 as being developed by the Continental Nevada
Iron Mining Co. five mi. up Brunswick Canyon (Kral,
Victor E., Report on Brunswick Canyon Iron , on file at the
NBM&G; NSJ, 1953, June 28, 21:1).
Brown’s Indian Spring Mining District, see COMO
MINING DISTRICT
BROWNS JUNCTION (LY, Fernley West 7.5’ quad.)
Station/siding on the old CP RR, 1 1/2 mi. east of
Wadsworth in Washoe County. Built in 1868, this
segment of the railroad (New Junction to Wadsworth)
was abandoned in 1905-06 (Myrick, 1962-63, 50). The
20
Mary B. Ansari
BRUNSWICK
TUNGSTEN MINE
(CC, New Empire
7.5’ quad.)
Open pit tungsten
mine reported in
1952 in the
Brunswick
(Delaware) Mining
District (NMM&S,
1952, 13).
Brunswick Canyon
Mining District, see
DELAWARE MINING
DISTRICT
BRUNSWICK
CANYON ROAD
(CC, New Empire 7.5’
quad.)
Unpaved road
traversing Brunswick
Canyon.
BRYANT CREEK
(DO, Carters
Brunswick Cemetery,
Station 7.5’ quad.)
see EMPIRE
Stream having its
CEMETERY
source in Alpine
County, Calif. and
BRUNSWICK MINE
flowing into the
(CC, McTarnahan Hill
East Fork Carson
7.5’ quad.)
River about 10 mi.
SE of Gardnerville.
Carson River Mining
In 1991, acid mine
District mine that
The road to Brunswick Canyon (photo by author)
drainage from the
produced a small
Leviathan Mine in
amount of oxidized copper ore which was shipped to a
Alpine County, Calif. was reported to have killed
smelter. In 1915, old tailings were reworked in a small
aquatic life in Bryant Creek (Calif. Dept. of Water
cyanide plant. In 1920, iron ore from the mine was
Resources, 1991, 46). Alpine County’s Leviathan Creek
shipped to iron works in Calif. (USGS, Min. Res. of the
flows through the mine’s massive tailings and 1 1/2 mi.
U.S. 1915, pt. 1, 650; 1920, pt. 1, 333).
below the mine flows into Mountaineer Creek. Together
they form Bryant Creek, which flows 6 1/2 mi. to the
Brunswick Mine (Storey County), see OCCIDENTAL
East Fork Carson River. It was mislabeled Barney Riley
MINE
Creek on a 1948 map (NDH, 1948). The name honors
Andrew S. Bryant who logged in the vicinity of the creek
in 1865 (Gudde.1998, 49). A.S. Bryant is listed in the
BRUNSWICK MINING DISTRICT (ST, Virginia City 7.5’
1870 DCAR as the owner a 160-acre ranch in the
quad.)
Genoa precinct. In July 1882, A.S. Bryant employed
Precious metal mining district located on the Brunswick
about 25 men hauling wood out of Markleeville Creek
Lode, previously known as the Occidental or Monte
(Murphy, 1982, 62). According to Harry Hawkins, a man
Cristo Lode. The Lode is located about 1 1/4 mi. east of
by the name of Bryant had a big hotel in Woodfords,
Virginia City and Gold Hill and lies roughly parallel to
Alpine County, Calif. (Hawkins, 1967, 3).
the Comstock Lode. It was originally known as the Silver
Star District. Activity in the district was reported as
early as 1863. The St. Johns and Occidental claims on
BUCK BRUSH (about the name): Buck brush is a western
the southern portion of the Lode first attracted the
name for the buffalo berry (Shepherdia argentea), a
attention of the early prospectors. The Lode is about 2
small tree or spiny shrub that grows near water.
1/2 mi. in length from the Occidental Mine on the south
to the Keyes Mine on the north. The district is now part of
BUCK BRUSH SPRING (LY, Buck Brush Spring 7.5’
the Comstock District (SMR, 1866, 68; Stoddard, 1950,
quad.)
12, 46-47, 70-71; TE, 1863, Apr. 3, 3:2).
Water source on the west side of the Wassuk Range
approx. 10 mi. SW of Schurz in Mineral County and
Brunswick Mining District (Carson City), see
1/4 mi. west of the Lyon-Mineral County line. GNIS
DELAWARE MINING DISTRICT
lists both Buck Brush Spring and Buck Brush Spring
Storage Tank.
21
Nevada Heartland
Station, about one mi. northwest, was moved to the
ranch in 1905” (McLane, 1982, Table 4, HSD - Douglas
County). This was the Dangberg’s sheep property and
was a.k.a. Sheep Camp (King, 1984a, 28, 50).
BUCKLAND (about the name): Features in Lyon County
bearing this name are named for Samuel Sanford
Buckland. Buckland moved west from Ohio during the
Calif. Gold Rush. In the late 1850s, he operated a
freight line between Placerville, Calif. and Genoa, Utah
BUCKBRUSH WELL (DO, McTarnahan Hill 7.5’ quad.)
Located south of Hot Springs Mountain on the NE fringe
of Carson Valley, about one mi. north of Johnson Ln.
BUCKEYE (about the name): The Calif. buckeye is a
shrub or small tree that is found in the Sierra foothills,
grows 30 – 40 ft. tall and is covered with clusters of
white or pale-pink flowers in the spring. Glossy, brown
seeds replace the flowers later in the summer (Horn,
1998, 14 - 15). The name is also descriptive of a species
of horse chestnut tree that produce large brown, glossy
seeds or nuts. These trees are not indigenous to Nev.
Sometimes the name is used to describe a person who is
a native or resident of Ohio, the Buckeye State. In
Douglas County nomenclature, it is unclear whether this
name refers to a kind of tree or shrub or an early settler
from Ohio.
BUCKEYE CANYON (DO, Gardnerville 7.5’ quad.)
The Pine Nut Mountains canyon through which Buckeye
Creek flows was referred to as Buckeye Cañon in a
timber claim survey recorded Oct. 15, 1867 (DCR, Misc.
A, 108).
(Angel, 1881, opposite p. 500)
Territory and acquired 1,680 acres on the lower Carson
River where he established a way station for trading
with emigrant parties traveling along the Carson River
Route. In the 1870s, the station served as the center of
commercial and social activities on the lower Carson
River. In the early 1880s, the construction of the C&C RR
south from Mound House caused Buckland's ranching and
farming operations to further boom. In 1884, his wife
Eliza died from an infection resulting from a severe cut
on the foot, and Samuel died later that same yr. Both
are buried in the Fort Churchill cemetery as are five of
their eight children (NLTB, 1997, Oct. 8 10A)
BUCKEYE CREEK (DO, Gardnerville 7.5’ quad.)
Stream that has its source in the southwestern Pine Nut
Mountains and flows westward into Carson Valley NE of
Minden and Gardnerville. It was called Buckley Creek
on the 1893 USGS Markleeville topographic sheet.
Apparently, this was a corrupted spelling, because an
Oct. 15, 1867 survey referred to the canyon containing
the creek as Buckeye Cañon (DCR, Misc. A, 108).
BUCKEYE CREEK WELL (DO, Gardnerville 7.5’ quad.)
Water source near Buckeye Creek near where it enters
into Carson Valley from the Pine Nut Mountains (GNIS).
Buckeye Mine, see EXCHEQUER MINE
Buckeye Mining District, see GARDNERVILLE MINING
DISTRICT
Buckeye Placer Mine, see SLATERS MINE
Bucklands as it looks today (courtesy of
Evan Pellegrini)
BUCKEYE RANCH (DO, Gardnerville 7.5’ quad.)
Carson Valley ranch shown on the 1957 USGS
topographic map about 1 1/2 mi. NE of Gardnerville
near Buckeye Creek. “The Buckeye Ranch was an early
Dangberg Company property. The building at Desert
BUCKLAND (LY, Churchill Butte 7.5’ quad.) In 1862, a
survey for the City of Buckland on 97 acres adjacent to
22
Mary B. Ansari
(Angel, 1881, opposite p. 500)
forage for the Fort's horses. From Nov. 1861 to Feb.
1864, Bucklands was designated the seat of Churchill
County, and during that time Buckland served on the
Board of County Commissioners. A boundary change put
the station in Lyon County.
S.S. Buckland’s land was recorded (LCSR, Bk. A, Apr., 26,
1862).
BUCKLAND DITCH (LY, Silver Springs South 7.5’ quad.)
Irrigation ditch that flows parallel to the north bank of
the Carson River from about two mi. west of Fort
Churchill Historic Monument into Churchill Valley near the
southern end of Lahontan Reservoir.
Fort Churchill was abandoned in 1868, and two yrs.
later Buckland purchased the site at public auction for
$750. He stripped the Fort's adobe buildings of
windows, doors, roofing and other building materials,
which he used to build a new station. The new station, a
modified Greek Revival structure which still stands, was
the center of commercial and social activities on the
lower Carson River. In the early 1880s, after the C&C
RR was built nearby, the station became even more
prosperous. The Buckland era ended in the mid-1880s
with the deaths of Buckland and his wife.
BUCKLANDS/ BUCKLAND RANCH/BUCKLAND
STATION (LY, Churchill Butte 7.5’ quad.)
The site of Bucklands Station is on the Carson River about
1/2 mi. south of the original site of Weeks. In the early
days, the site was a trading post and Pony Express
Station called Bucklands for its owner, Samuel Sanford
Buckland. In 1860, Bucklands Station served for a short
time as a Pony Express stop until Fort Churchill was
established in the summer of that yr. and became the
Pony Express station. Buckland continued trading with
overland emigrants and also acted as a contractor for
military supplies for nearby Fort Churchill and provided
In later yrs., the property had a series of owners,
including Nathan and Amos Stinson; Charles Kiser; Lon
and Charles Towle; Daniel C. Wheeler; and the
Garaventa Land & Livestock Co. In 1942, inventor
23
Nevada Heartland
sold. Soon, daily stage service over Mason Pass from
Yerington was established.
Everett L. Cord and developer Norman Biltz purchased
the property where Biltz established a shooting club and
wild game ranch. Frank Ghiglia purchased the property
in 1964 and held it for 31 yrs. In 1995, the property
was acquired by the Nevada State Parks Division and
incorporated into Fort Churchill State Historic Park. The
Parks Division plans to restore the structure that was built
by Bucklands in the 1870s (NLTB, 1997, Oct. 8, 10A).
The mining camp was first named Gold Pitt after
Senator Pitt, but Kennedy called it Buckskin after his
buckskin horse, and the name stuck. In July, stage service
expanded with two trips daily from Yerington and one
from Wabuska. Work was hampered by labor
problems and a shortage of building materials. In 1907,
underground water hindered mining efforts, and mining
activity began a slow decline. The rich, near-surface
gold veins were mined out, leaving only copper. When
the Thompson Smelter near Wabuska closed in 1914,
the Buckskin mines were idled. Over the yrs., the mines
were leased with little or no success until 1928 when
there was some copper production. In 1986, the Sonora
Mining Corporation from Jameston, Calif. leased the
property to use the existing mill and leach ponds for a
cyanide heap leach process not permitted in Calif. It is a
355-mi. round trip from the mine to the heap leach site.
The operation was still active in the early 1990s.
Over the yrs., the site has had several names. In the mid1890s, it was owned by a Mr. Barnett and was known
as Barnett (USGS, 1894, Wabuska topographic sh.).
Bray (1913, 215) wrote that Tolles or Tolles Station was
another name for Bucklands, explaining that in the early
days a family by the name of Tolle lived on the
Buckland Ranch and the place took its name from the
Tolle brothers. Phillip Earl reported that it was called
Towles Ranch after owners Lon and Charles Towle (NLTB,
1997, Oct. 8, 10A). Most likely the Tolle brothers Bray
referred to and Lon and Charles Towle referred to by
Earl were one and the same. Weeks Post Office
operated on the site of Bucklands Ranch from Nov. 1924
- June 1945 (GNIS).
BUCKSKIN MINE (DO, Artesia Lake 7.5’ quad.)
The Buckskin Mine, which is the oldest in the Buckskin
District, is located on the SE side of the Buckskin
Range,1/2 mi. west of the site of Buckskin and five mi.
NW of Ludwig. “The mine has produced gold and
copper from veins and replacement deposits in Mesozoic
sheared and altered andesite” (Moore, 1969, 29). The
mine is inactive.
Bucklands Campground, see SAMUEL BUCKLANDS
CAMPGROUND
Buckley Creek, see BUCKEYE CREEK
BUCKSKIN (about the name): In the early 1900s, W.D.
Kennedy discovered the Buckskin Mine and is reported
to have named the mine in honor of his buckskin-colored
horse that had saved his life by carrying him 150 mi. to
water when he was lost in Death Valley (Carlson, 1985,
61; McLane, 1982, Table 4, HSD - Douglas County).
According the Smith (1991, 65-69), Kennedy was
associated with the firm Kennedy & Pitt and eventually
became foreman for Senator W.C. Pitt of Lovelock, Nev.
BUCKSKIN MINING DISTRICT (DO, Lincoln Flat 7.5’
quad.)
This iron, copper, gold, silver, titanium, pyrophyllite,
andalusite and corundum district is in the Buckskin Range
east of the northern Pine Nut Mountains. It is a.k.a. Smith
Valley Mining District (Tingley, 1998, 17). The Minnesota
iron mine is by far the largest producer in the district
with a total value of $16,736,000 through 1966. Total
production for the district only amounts to an additional
$81,035 (Moore, 1969, 29).
BUCKSKIN (DO, Artesia Lake 7.5’ quad.)
Mining camp site at the SE base of the Buckskin Range,
1/2 mi. east of the Buckskin Mine. Originally in Lyon
County, county boundary changes now place the site in
Douglas County (McLane, 1982, Table 4, HSD - Douglas
County). According to Nation (1992, 155-167), in 1905
Senator W.C. Pitt, a well-to-do farmer from Lovelock
who was a Nevada State Senator from 1901-05,
financed a prospector named W.D. Kennedy. A third
partner was W.L. Campbell. Early in 1906, Kennedy
found a rich gold ledge. The three partners staked out
10 claims in Mar. 1906. In Apr., Kennedy located five
additional claims before the mining rush was on. In May,
a town site was established and more than 100 lots
BUCKSKIN RANGE (DO, Artesia Lake 7.5’ quad.)
“The Buckskin Range lies in northeastern Douglas County,
north of Artesia Lake. It is 8 1/2 mi. long and 4 1/2
mi. wide. The high point is VABM [vertical angle
benchmark] Artesia, 6915 ft. The peak rises 2400 ft.
above Artesia Lake” (McLane, 1978. 30-31).
BUFFALO (about the name): “Natural features were so
named for buffalo grass in the area, or for buffalo
bushes growing on stream banks” (Carlson, 1985, 62).
24
Mary B. Ansari
of Fort Churchill. Shown as Whitman’s Ravine on an
1861 plat map (LCMR, 1861, 187-88) and as Whitman
Canyon on an 1881 map (C&C RR, 1881). Shown as
‘Whitman (Bull) Canyon’ on a sketch map in Myrick’s
(1962, 6) article on Como.
Bull Run Spring, see PIPE SPRING
BULL SPRING (LY, Como 7.5’ quad.)
Water source in the northern Pine Nut Mountains about
1 1/2 mi. NE of Rawe Peak.
Bull Slough, see PARK & BULL SLOUGH
BULLION (about the name): This popular mine name
implies ingots of precious metal.
The Bullion Mine as it looked in the mid-1860s
(Library of Congress, Lawrence and Houseworth photo collection)
BULLION MINE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Well-known Comstock mine located about 1/2 mi. north
of Gold Hill on the north side of Bullion Ravine. This
claim was staked in 1859, and the claims absorbed by
it include the Corser (Casser, Cosser), Eastern Slope,
Wellington, and Fairview, giving the Bullion about 944
ft. on the Comstock Lode. The mine's name turned out to
BUFFALO CANYON (DO, Double Spring 7.5’ quad.)
Southwestern Pine Nut Mountains drainage about two mi.
east of Cedar Flat.
BUFFALO SPRING (DO, Double Spring 7.5’ quad.)
Water source in the southwestern Pine Nut Mountains
above Buffalo Canyon. GNIS lists Buffalo Springs as a
variant name.
Buler Ditch, see SPRAGG-ALCORN-BEWLEY DITCH
Bulkhead, see GATE ROCKS
BULL (about the name): Features bearing this name are
usually named for the adult male cow. Sometimes the
name honors a person with the surname Bull as is the
case with Douglas County’s Park and Bull Slough. In Lyon
County, it is curious to note that Whitman Canyon, which
was in the Butte Mining District, is now called Bull
Canyon, and that Bull Spring might have previously been
known as Butte Spring. Butte Mining District and Butte
Spring are shown on several early survey plats of the
area (LCMR, 1861, 172-93, 382-83). Often, in these
old hand written documents the crossing of the t’s in
‘Butte’ was so faint that ‘Butte’more resembled ‘Bulle’. It’s
possible that over the yrs. ‘Butte’ was corrupted to Bull.
See also BUTTE MINING DISTRICT.
Recently Douglas County Commissioners voted to protect the Burbank
be a gross misnomer, because even though work was
performed on the property from 1862 to the early
1900s, there was never any recorded production from
the mine. Through 1881, assessments totaled about
$3,872,000. John Mackay became a trustee in 1863
and was elected superintendent in the late 1860s, but
not even as shrewd a mining engineer and businessman
as Mackay could squeeze any commercial ore out of the
Bullion. The only reason the mine was able to continue
to raise money for exploration was because it had rich
BULL CANYON (LY, Churchill Butte 7.5’ quad.)
Located in the northeastern Pine Nut Mountains, this
canyon drains into the Carson River about two mi. west
25
Nevada Heartland
mines nearby on both sides (the Chollar-Potosi and
Consolidated Imperial). The Bullion is a patented claim
(Becker, 1882, 17; Carlson, 1955, 7, 21; Church, 1879,
1; Lord, 1883, 305; Smith, 1943, 103-05, 292; Stuart,
1909, 42; WPA, 1942, no. 8, 1-2).
BURBANK (DO, Mineral Peak 7.5’ quad.)
Northern Pine Nut Mountains historic site in Mineral
Valley approx. 3 mi. SE of Mineral Peak (McLane,
1982, Table 4, HSD - Douglas County).
BURBANK CANYON (DO, Oreana Peak 7.5’ quad.)
Steep canyon in the SE Pine Nut Mountains north of Little
Burbank Canyon and west of Beaman Lakes in Smith
Valley.
Bullion Peak, see MT. BULLION
BULLION RAVINE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Drainage SW of Virginia City between Mt. Davidson
and Mt. Bullion. The Bullion Mine site is on the north side
of the ravine (Lord, 1883, pl. 3).
Burbank Canyon, Little, see LITTLE BURBANK
CANYON
BULLIONVILLE (DO, Double Spring 7.5’ quad.)
Former mining camp developed around the Longfellow
Mine on the crest of the Pine Nut Mountains, about four
mi. south of Mount Siegel. Gold ore was hauled from
here as early as 1862 and milled in Virginia City
(Moore, 1969, 30).
BURKE & HAMILTON MINE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’
quad.)
This well-known, early location was located adjacent to
the Bowers claim named for William Burke and A.C.
‘Lon’ Hamilton. Hamilton was a Comstock mine
superintendent who was in charge of the Chollar,
Imperial, and Savage mines at various times. The claim
became part of the Challenge-Confidence consolidation
(Carlson, 1955, 21-22; Smith, 1943, 240).
Bullionville Mining District, see RED CANYON MINING
DISTRICT
Burke & Smalls Station, see EDGEWOOD
BUNKER HILL MINE (CC, New Empire 7.5’ quad.)
Mineral property at the end of Bunker Hill Mine Rd. one
mi. NW of McTarnahan Hill in the Pine Nut Mountains. It
is in the Delaware Mining District and has been worked
intermittently for copper and gold. The name appears to
be a transfer name which originates from a hill called
Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts. The famed
Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on adjacent Breeds Hill
in June 1775 (Moore, 1969, 31).
BURKE CREEK (DO, South Lake Tahoe 7.5’ quad.)
Carson Range stream flowing into Lake Tahoe NE of
Stateline. It is named for Martin K. (Friday) Burke who,
with James Washington Small, established a trading post
on nearby Edgewood (Fridays) Creek (Scott, 1957,
231). In 1860, Burke and Small pre-empted 320 acres
on the SE shore of Lake Tahoe where they erected a log
cabin along a Washoe Indian game trail that went north
along the shoreline toward Cave Rock. Burke began a
commercial fishing endeavor, called Burke & Co. and,
with Small, operated Burke & Small’s Station. On the
Wheeler Survey map of 1881, surveyed in 1876 and
’77, the creek is called Friday Creek and the station
Small’s. In 1888, John Wales Averill purchased the
property and named it Edgewood (Lekisch, 1988, 11).
See also EDGEWOOD.
BUNKER HILL MINE ROAD (CC, New Empire 7.5’ quad.)
Dirt road about three mi. in length which leads SW from
Brunswick Canyon Rd. through Sand Canyon to the
Bunker Hill Mine.
BURBANK (about the name): The two listings under this
name appear to be named for Samuel M. Burbank
whose residence is labeled ‘Burbank’ on the 1893 USGS
Carson topographic map. S. Burbank appears on the
1881 DCAR for a 160-acre ranch in Silver Lake
Township. An 1881 survey shows Burbank’s house in
Smith Valley about 3/4 mi west of the West Walker
River (Survey of T11N, R 23 E, Mt. Diablo Meridian,
1881). In 1909, there were seven properties totaling
640 acres listed on the DCAR as belonging to Samuel M.
Burbank.
BURKHAM RANCH (LY, The Elbow 7.5’ quad.)
Shown on a 1953 map on a county road on the East
Walker River one mi. east of NSR 338 (NDH, 1953). It is
a.k.a. Conway Ranch. See also CONWAY STAGE
STATION.
BURNING MOSCOW MINE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Located adjacent to the Ophir Mine in Virginia City, this
26
Mary B. Ansari
silver-gold claim was staked either in 1859 or 1860,
absorbed the Madison and LaCrosse mines and the
Geller Ledge & Harrison Co. claim in 1863, and was
purchased by the Ophir Mine in the mid-1860s. Helen
Carlson puts forth two theories concerning its name. One
is that its original name might have been Burning Mosca.
In Spanish ‘mosca’ means ‘fly,’ so Burning Mosca could
represent a distorted version of firefly. The other theory
is that the name could commemorate Napoleon's march
into Russia in 1812, which remained a vivid memory for
some at the time of the Comstock discovery (Carlson,
1955, 22-24).
Burnt Cabin, see MOUNTAIN HOUSE
BUTCHER CAÑON (CC, Dayton 7.5’ quad.)
Shown on an 1875 map of the Virginia & El Dorado
Narrow Gauge RR as draining into the west side of
Eldorado Canyon south of Sullivan and Illinois canyons.
This name is not in current usage (Map of [the] Survey of
the Virginia & El Dorado Narrow Gauge Railroad, 1875).
BUTLER PEAK, 7440 ft. (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
Located south of Mt. Bullion, about 1/4 mi. SW of
Virginia City. Bancroft made this observation: “In Aug.
1869 Mount Butler, near Virginia City, was observed to
be giving signs of volcanic disturbance, flames breaking
out in a cave, but probably from the ignition of
gases.” (Bancroft, 1890, 246; Lord, 1883, pl. 3).
Butte Mining District, see COMO MINING DISTRICT
Byington Ranch, see GALEPPI – BYINGTON RANCH
27
Nevada Heartland
28
CARSON
(about the name):
Carson River, Carson City,
Carson County, Carson Lake,
Carson Pass, Carson Peak,
Carson Range, Carson Valley,
Carson Sink and many other
western Nev. and eastern
Calif. places are named,
either directly or indirectly,
for Christopher ‘Kit’ Carson,
famed 19th century American
guide, mountaineer and
trapper. Carson River was the
first feature to be named in
honor of Carson by Lieutenant
John C. Frémont, who
explored the Great Basin and
the Sierra in 1843-44 and
1845 with Kit Carson serving
as his scout. Carson River was
first designated on the 1848
Preuss map. Kit Carson was
born in Kentucky in 1809 and
died in Colorado in 1868.
After the naming of the
Carson River, many physical
and cultural features in the
West have been named for
Frémont's famous scout (Angel,
1881, 25; CA, 1868, June 17,
3:2; Gudde, 1998, 55;
Preuss, 1848, map).
(see p. 39)
Carson River South (photo by author)
C
C & C SHAFT (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
This largest and most modern of all Comstock-era shafts was located on the
grounds of the California Mine in Virginia City. It was the joint property of
the Consolidated Virginia and California mining companies; hence its name.
It was used for exploration and to extract the fabulously rich Big Bonanza
ores of both mines. The shaft was started in the mid-1870s and was part of
a "third line" of vertical shafts sunk in an attempt to tap the Comstock Lode
at depths of 3,000 ft. beneath the surface. Other shafts in the "third line"
included the Combination, Osbiston, Ward, East Yellow Jacket, Overman,
Alta, and Justice. By the early 1880s, the C & C had reached a depth of
almost 2,450 ft. below the surface (Angel, 1881, illus. opposite p. 52;
29
Nevada Heartland
superintendent of the mine in the 1860s. For the period
1871-1914 reported production was approx.
$340,000 from an estimated 27,000 tons for an
average of a little more than $12.50 per ton.
Assessments of about $3,210,000 were levied, and no
dividends were paid (Carlson, 1955, 24-25; Smith,
1943, 103, 238; Stuart, 1909, 42; WPA, 1941, no. 9,
1-4).
Becker, 1882, 5; Stoddard, 1950, 17-20; WPA, 1941,
no. 10, 3-7).
C HILL, elev. 5756+ ft., (CC, Carson City 7.5’ quad.)
Peak about 1 1/2 mi. SW of downtown Carson City
bearing a landmark letter ‘C’ for Carson City on its east
slope. Though the summit triangulation station is at 5756
ft., another point on the hill is higher (GNIS).
CALHOUN MINE
(CC, McTarnahan
Hill 7.5’ quad.)
Ormsby County
(now called
Carson City)
silver mine
reported in 1878
as 1/2 mi. SE of
the Mexican
Dam. The mine
owners erected a
four-stamp mill
above the
Mexican Dam at
the old Diddering
Mill site (MA,
1878, Mar. 12,
3:2).
C Hill Cemetery,
see PIONEER
CEMETERY
CALDWELL
RAVINE (ST,
Steamboat 7.5’
quad.)
A name not in
current usage, but
listed in 1864 as
a drainage 8 mi.
north of Virginia
City near
Lousetown. It was
named for L.
Caldwell who
owned property
in the area ( SCR,
Locs., 1864, v.A,
372-373, 377).
CALIFORNIA
(Angel, 1881, opposite p. 52)
(about the
name): Nevada is bounded by the state of California
on the west. The name California is most commonly
CALDWELL SPRING (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
thought to be derived from a fictional paradise peopled
Early name for a water source in Spanish Ravine that
by Black Amazons and ruled by a Queen Califia. A
Patrick McLaughlin and Peter O’Reilly cleaned out in the
1510 story, The Exploits of Esplandian, written as a
spring of 1859 in an effort to create a reservoir to
sequel to Amadis de Gaula by Spanish adventure writer
facilitate placer mining. While digging in the water,
Garci Rodriguez de Montalvo records the myth of
they uncovered rich black sand. This marked the
Califia. According to Montalvo, the kingdom of Califia
discovery of the north end of the Comstock Lode. A few
was said to be a remote land inhabited by griffins and
hours later, Henry Comstock (Old Pancake) happened
other strange beasts and rich in gold. The name
by and fraudulently claimed ownership to the spring
California is one of the oldest surviving European place
and adjacent ground and thereby succeeded in
names in the U.S. and was applied to what is now the
becoming partners with O’Reilly and McLaughlin in what
southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California as the island of
became the Ophir Mine. The spring was named for its
California by a Spanish expedition led by Diego de
owner, Joe Caldwell. (DeQuille, 1947, 26; Virginia City
Becerra and Fortun Ximenez, who landed there in 1533
Times, 1958, v.1, no.1, 9)
on the behest of Hernando Cortes, It is possible also that
the name came from the Arabic ‘caliph,’ meaning
supreme ruler, or ‘caliphat,’ meaning sovereignty when
CALEDONIA MINE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
the name was coined. (Gudde, 1969, 48;
Mining property situated south of the Overman Pit,
en.wikipedia.org).
approx. 1/2 mi. SW of Gold Hill. The Caledonia
emerged from the consolidation of seven claims in 1861,
by the Caledonia Tunnel Co., giving it a total of about
California & Consolidated Virginia Shaft, see C & C
2,188 ft. on the Comstock Lode. John Mackay was
SHAFT
30
Mary B. Ansari
California Trail, see CARSON RIVER ROUTE
California Emigrant Trail, see CARSON RIVER ROUTE
CAMBRIDGE (about the name): Cambridge is the name
of a city in England, which is the home of Cambridge
University, and a city in Massachusetts across the
Charles River from Boston. Perhaps someone with roots
in Cambridge, England or Massachusetts gave the name
to the Lyon County mining camp. Also, it is a surname, so
perhaps the camp was named for someone by that
name.
CALIFORNIA MINE (ST, Virginia City 7.5’ quad.)
This world-famous silver-gold mine was the second
largest producer on the Comstock. An adjacent Virginia
City mine, the Consolidated Virginia, was the biggest
producer on the Lode. Both the California and Con
Virginia were controlled by the Bonanza Firm of John
CAMBRIDGE (LY, Pine Grove Spring 7.5’ quad.)
Former town site situated about two mi. SE of East
Walker Rd. Westside (a.k.a. Pine Grove Flat Rd.)
approx. 21 mi. south of Yerington and two mi. SE of
Pine Grove Flat. In 1861, when gold was discovered in
this vicinity, the Washington Mining District was
organized. In the mid-1860s, with the discovery of gold
at nearby Pine Grove, interest in the area was revived;
production began after the mining district was
reorganized in 1867. This gold mining camp was large
enough to support a post office during the mining
revival of 1879-1881. There were other revivals, the
one in 1936 being large enough to bring another mill
into activity (Paher, 1970, 85).
Cambridge School as it looked in 2007 (courtesy of
Evan Pellegrini)
CAMBRIDGE HILLS (LY, Yerington 7.5’ quad. SE)
Name of "...a short northwest trending range in
southeastern Lyon County, bounded on the east by the
East Walker River and on the west by Pine Grove Flat.
The range is 16 mi. long and less than three mi. wide. Its
highest summit, with an altitude of 6119 ft., is located in
the south. This peak rises 1300 ft. above the East
Walker River” (McLane, 1978, 33).
Mackay, James Fair, James Flood and William O'Brien.
The present California claim includes about 600 ft. on
the Comstock Lode and is composed of the Central No.
1 and Central No. 2 claims, the original California claim,
and the Kinney claim. In early 1874, the California
Mining Co. was founded to work the portion of the ‘Big
Bonanza’ ores on the California property (the bonanza
extended through both the Con Virginia and California
mines). Between1876 and 1881, total production for
the California Mine's portion of the ‘Big Bonanza’ was
an estimated $44,031,000 from about 588,000 tons
for an average yield of almost $75 per ton. Dividends
of about $31,320,000 were paid, with the last dividend
paid in 1879. In 1884, the California and Con Virginia
mining companies merged to form the Consolidated
California and Virginia Mining Co.; subsequent
production was reported under the Con Virginia Mine.
The California claim is a patented claim. According to
Helen Carlson, the claim was named by miners from
Placerville, Calif. to honor their home state (Angel,
1881, 612; Becker, 1882, 15; Carlson, 1955, 9;
Church, 1879, 1; Lewis, ca. 1962; Smith, 1943; 292;
WPA, 1941, no. 10, 1-8).
CAMBRIDGE MINE (LY, Pine Grove Spring 7.5’ quad.)
"In the Cambridge Hills, east of the Pine Grove Hills, are
many small gold and silver mines and prospects,
including the Cambridge Mine. These are included... in
the Wilson District even though they were at one time
recognized as the Cambridge District" (Moore, 1969,
29).
Cambridge Mining District, see WILSON MINING
DISTRICT
Camp Carson Park, see CARSON RIVER PARK
CAMP CLARK (CC, Carson City 7.5’ quad.)
In 1898, this military camp was on the west side of
Carson City west of the present site of Carson Middle
California Mountains, see SIERRA NEVADA
31
Nevada Heartland
Camp Clark. Reinhold Sadler was Nevada's ninth
governor, serving from 1896 - 1902 (Earl, 1974, 2227; Myles, 1972, 60-64; Ruhlen, 1964, 51).
School. After Camp Saddler was abandoned, the
Spanish-American War volunteers were moved to Camp
Clark. It was named in honor of the commander of the
battleship Oregon, who was much admired by the
troops. The camp was in use from Aug. to Oct. 1898
(Earl, 1974, 22-27).
CAMPBELL (about the name): In Lyon County, this name
possibly honors John M. Campbell, who was elected
county surveyor in 1880 (Angel, 1881, 496) or Franklin
Campbell, a farmer who was in charge of the Walker
River Indian Reservation (NSJ, 1872, May 25, 2:5). An
1885 mortgage record refers to John M. Campbell of
Hawthorne in Esmeralda County (LCM, 1885, Bk. C,
575). In 1900, the Last Chance mining claim, described
being “easterly from Wabuska,” was located by J.M
Campbell (LCML, Aug. 27, 1900). In Douglas County in
the late 1880s and early 1900s, James L. Campbell,
owned Mountain House, Walley’s Hot Springs and
James Canyon Ranch. W.L. Campbell was a partner of
W.D. Kennedy and Senator W.C Pitt in the Buckskin
Mine (Nation, 2000, 34-35, 155-167).
CAMP COLCORD (CC, Carson City 7.5’ quad.)
Summer military encampment reported in 1892 as being
in Treadways Meadows to the west of Carson City. The
camp was named for Roswell K. Colcord, Nevada's
seventh governor, who served from 1891-1894 (MA,
1892, Aug. 23, 3; Myles, 1972, p.48-52).
Camp Galilee, see GALILEE CAMP & RETREAT CENTER
Camp Hay(e)s, see REEDS STATION
CAMP NYE (CC, Carson City 7.5’ quad.)
Historic site west of downtown Carson City near the
mouth of Kings Canyon. It is shown on an 1870 plat
between the Lake Bigler Toll Rd. (Kings Canyon Toll Rd.)
and Ash Canyon. For yrs., controversy surrounded the
exact location of this Civil War camp. Phillip Earl gives
credit to Lt. Col. William F. McDonnell's research for
establishing that Camp Nye was to the west of Carson
City on the Henry Koehn property at the mouth of Kings
Canyon. Governor Nye was involved in the selection of
the location. The camp was established in Oct. 1864 and
served as home base for men of Companies ‘D’ and ‘E’
of the First Nevada Volunteer Cavalry. The soldiers
stationed at the camp did not participate in any Civil
War battles, but they did engage in several Indian
campaigns. The camp was ordered closed in Aug. 1865.
James Warren Nye, for whom the camp was named,
was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln as
Territorial Governor of Nev. in 1861 (Earl, The Camp
Nye Puzzle Solved, RGJ, 1980, Dec. 13, 3E; OCD, v.13,
50, recorded 1870; Ruhlen, 1964, 46; State Historic
Marker No. 235). See also NYE.
CAMPBELL (LY, Mason Butte 7.5’ quad.)
Was a station/siding on the NCB RR, a short line
railroad connecting with the C&C RR at Wabuska in
Mason Valley and servicing the Nevada Douglas
Copper Mines near Ludwig in Smith Valley. The railroad
was abandoned in 1947 (Carlson, 1985, 68).
CAMPBELL DITCH (LY, Mason Butte 7.5’ quad.)
Major irrigation ditch flowing through Mason Valley
north of Yerington and west of the Walker River.
Campbell Ditch, East, see EAST CAMPBELL DITCH
Campbell Ditch, West, see WEST CAMPBELL DITCH
Campbell Ranch, see JAMES CANYON RANCH
Campbell Ranch Indian Reservation, see YERINGTON
INDIAN RESERVATION
CAMP SADLER (CC, Carson City 7.5’ quad.)
George Ruhlen mistakenly reported Camp Sadler to be
a temporary Civil War camp west of Carson City at the
mouth of Kings Canyon. Later, Phillip Earl determined
that the camp was at the race track in SE Carson City
and served as the encampment of the First Battalion
Nevada Volunteer Infantry in the 1898 Spanish
American War. The camp was named in honor of
Governor Reinhold Sadler and was in use only about
two weeks before the track owners requested the return
of the property, after which the camp was moved to
CAMPBELL VALLEY (LY, Weber Dam 7.5’ quad.)
Long valley on the south side of the Walker River
between Parker Butte and Weber Reservoir on the NW
side of the Walker River Indian Reservation. It appears
to have been named for Franklin Campbell, who in an
Aug. 22, 1866 correspondence from the Walker River
Indian Reserve to the Superintendent of Indian Affairs in
Carson City wrote in the official capacity of U.S. Indian
Agent (Davis, 1913, 160-61). An 1872 newspaper
article described Campbell as an experienced farmer,
“in whom the Indians have the most implicit confidence,”
32
Mary B. Ansari
Meteor from 1876 – 1896 and Tahoe from 1896 until
his death in 1919 at the age of 71. He worked for the
Bliss family of Glenbrook for 45 yrs. (Lekisch, 1988, 16;
Scott, 1957, 405, 432).
in charge of the Walker River Indian Reservation (NSJ,
1872, May 25, 2:5).
Canal Township, see FERNLEY
CARDELLI DITCH, UPPER (LY, Flowery Peak 7.5’ quad.)
Irrigation ditch servicing the old Cardelli Ranch. Tancredi
Cardelli was born in Italy in 1854. When he was 16, he
left Italy. After working in Marseilles, France for awhile,
he immigrated to Calif. and then to Nev. in 1872 where
he transported logs to Virginia City to be used in the
mines. He later sent for his brothers Orlando and
Leopoldo, who were still in Italy. He and Orlando
bought land and started ranching. They continued
buying land until, by 1900, they had about 1200 acres
on the Carson River near Dayton. Tancredi retired from
ranching in 1926, and died in Dayton in 1928. The
Cardelli Ranch was owned and operated by the family
for over half a century. Clara Cardelli Raggio was
Tancred’s daughter and the mother of William J. Raggio
(NCC Lyon County, 1964, Clara Cardelli Raggio),
prominent attorney and for many years, Majority
Leader of the Nevada State Senate until he became
Minority Leader of the Senate in 2008. He retired from
the Senate in 2011 and died in 2012.
CANEYVILLE (LY, Dayton 7.5’ quad.)
Located on an early map (unidentified) at the mouth of
Daney Canyon in Lyon County (McLane, 2001, pers.
comm.). ‘Caney’ appears to be a corruption of Daney.
CANTY (LY, Misfits Flat 7.5’ quad.)
Listed in GNIS as a Lyon County historic locale near the
Carson River about 3 1/2 mi. west of the site of Clifton.
Canyon, The, see THE CANYON
Capital City, see CARSON CITY
Capital City Fairgrounds, see CARSON CITY
FAIRGROUNDS
Capitol Building, see NEVADA STATE CAPITOL
BUILDING
CARMAN HEIGHTS (DO, Double Spring 7.5’ quad.)
Historic mining camp site in upper Mill Canyon in the
western Pine Nut Mountains. Edward Carman was born
in Cleveland, Ohio. After completion of his education, he
became a telegrapher and worked his way up to
become manager of two telegraph companies before
becoming involved in mining. Frank Everett was born in
Nevada,. He grew up in Cleveland and returned to
Nevada, and was active in mining in Douglas and Lyon
counties. He interested Carmen in the Longfellow Mine
venture. Carman was named superintendent of the
Longfellow Mine in 1903. After Carman removed a
two-stamp mill from the mine and installed it near his
quarters in Mill Canyon, the site became known as
Carman Heights. It was on a wagon road nearly two mi.
from the mine on the western slope of the Pine Nut
Mountains.
CAPITOL MINE (CC, McTarnahan Hill 7.5’ quad.)
Located 1 1/4 mi. east of the Mexican Dam in rural
Carson City. It was described in a 1969 report as a
low-grade iron deposit for which no production had
been recorded. Presumably it is named for its proximity
to the State capitol (Moore, 1969, 31).
CAPTAIN GEORGE CEMETERY (DO, Minden 7.5’ quad.)
Shown on USGS topographic maps directly west of
Foothill Rd. about halfway between Walleys Hot
Springs and Mottsville in Douglas County. There is no
roadside marker for this burial ground, and no
information was found on the name. In the late 1800s,
the Washoe Indians referred to several of their leaders
as ‘Captain,’ so perhaps it was a Native American burial
ground.
The site was sheltered by an aspen grove on a
perennial stream fed by springs above the camp. A.C.
Pratt had constructed a mill at the site in 1872. Carman
built a bunkhouse for the miners along with other
structures that included living quarters for him and his
wife. In 1913, Carman Heights was described as a
beehive of activity. The mill buildings were being
remodeled, two bunkhouses were being built and roads
were being repaired. There was a small electric plant
at the hoisting works and a telephone line was installed
CAPTAIN POMIN ROCK, elev. 7538 ft. (DO,
Glenbrook 7.5’ quad.)
Rocky outcrop about one mi. east of Glenbrook Bay
near U.S. Hwy. 50. William Pomin was one of the first
Euro-American settlers in the Lake Tahoe Basin, and his
daughter was the first white child born there. The name
of the rock appears to commemorate his brother, Earnest
John, who was captain of the Lake Tahoe steamers
33
Nevada Heartland
between the camp and the mine. Carman and his wife
lived at Carman Heights until 1921 when they moved to
Gardnerville. Carman died in 1923 at the age of 57
(Nation, 2000, 179-190).
CARSON & COLORADO RAILROAD (LY, New Empire
7.5’ quad.)
"The Carson and Colorado Railroad was originally a
narrow-gauge line built by D.O. Mills between 1880
and 1883. The trackage began at Mound House on the
CARP DAM (LY, Hooten Well 7.5’ quad.)
Secondary dam on the SE arm of Lahontan Reservoir
about 4 1/2 mi. SE of Silver Springs Beach. The name is
descriptive of a variety of fish found in the vicinity of the
dam.
Carp Flat, see FISH SPRING FLAT
Nevada Capitol Building as it looks today
(en.wikipedia.org, by Mark Miller)
Virginia and Truckee Railroad, ran southeast and by
Walker Lake on the eastern side, then turned toward
Calif., and terminated in the Owens Lake Valley.
Hawthorne [in Mineral County] was established as a
result of the line...In Mar., 1900, the C&C was sold to
the Southern Pacific Railroad. The Tonopah boom, which
began the next yr., increased the line's activity. In 1904
the Tonopah and Goldfield Railroad was connected with
the C&C at Tonopah Junction. A major difficulty with the
operation of the line occurred after the Southern Pacific
purchase. The only way to connect with the main
Southern Pacific line was to tranship cargo to the V&T at
Mound House, then change it from narrow-gauge cars to
standard-gauge cars at Reno. To overcome that
expensive operation, the SP built a cut-off which ran
from Churchill in Lyon County, to their main line at Hazen
near Fallon. Coincidentally, they widened the old C&C
track to standard-gauge in 1904-05. As a result of the
rebuilding, a corporate reorganization took place, and
the name was changed to the Nevada and California
Railway. During the 1930s, 40s and 50s various sections
of the line were gradually eliminated..."(Mordy &
McCaughey, 1968, 239).
(Angel, 1881, opposite p. 17)
CARSON (about the name): Carson River, Carson City,
Carson County, Carson Lake, Carson Pass, Carson Peak,
Carson Range, Carson Valley, Carson Sink and many
other western Nev. and eastern Calif. places are named,
either directly or indirectly, for Christopher ‘Kit’ Carson,
famed 19th century American guide, mountaineer and
trapper. Carson River was the first feature to be named
in honor of Carson by Lieutenant John C. Frémont, who
explored the Great Basin and the Sierra in 1843-44
and 1845 with Kit Carson serving as his scout. Carson
River was first designated on the 1848 Preuss map. Kit
Carson was born in Kentucky in 1809 and died in
Colorado in 1868. After the naming of the Carson River,
many physical and cultural features in the West have
been named for Frémont's famous scout (Angel, 1881,
25; CA, 1868, June 17, 3:2; Gudde, 1998, 55; Preuss,
1848, map).
According to Myrick (1962-63, 166, 172), H.M.
Yerington, D.L Bliss, D.A. Bender and S.P. Smith (agent
for D.O. Mills) were among the railroad's founding
directors. Originally, the railroad was projected to
connect Mound House on the Carson River with Fort
Carson, see CARSON CITY
Carson Airport, see CARSON CITY AIRPORT
34
Mary B. Ansari
Mojave in extreme southern Nev. on the Colorado River;
hence its name. In 1881, whether reports of mining
activity in Inyo County were responsible or whether it
was considered expedient to head off the rival
California Central RR, suddenly the C&C abandoned
plans to build southeasterly through Nev. and instead
built SW over Montgomery Pass to Owens Valley, Calif.
(CMCC, 1992, no. 42; nps.gov).
CARSON CANYON (CC, New Empire 7.5’ quad.)
Large canyon carved by the Carson River on the north
flank of the Pine Nut Mountains extending from 1/2 mi.
east of the site of Empire City east along the Carson
River for several mi. to the canyon’s mouth near Dayton.
In the days of the Comstock, the canyon was lined with
many large quartz mills. Since then it has been known
locally as Carson Canyon or Carson River Canyon
(Myrick, 1962, v.1, 103).
Carson & Tahoe Lumber & Fluming Company’s Clear
Creek Flume, see CLEAR CREEK FLUME
Carson & Tahoe Lumber & Fluming Company’s Yard,
see GARDNER RANCH
CARSON CANYON ROAD (CC, New Empire 7.5’
quad.)
Dirt road which follows the old V & T RR right-of- way
along the Carson River from the site of Empire City on
the east to about 1/4 mi. past the Lyon County
boundary on the west where the road joins U.S. Hwy. 50
CARSON BELLE MINE (CC)
Reported in 1877 to have been Ormsby County (now
called Carson City) in the vicinity of Clear Creek slightly
below the Ayres & Hopkins Mine (MA, 1877, Dec. 15,
3:1).
CARSON BLACK LEAD MINE (CC, Carson City 7.5’
quad.)
Graphite mine, a.k.a. the Chedic Graphite Mine, on a
ridge between Clear Creek and Kings Canyon approx.
three mi. SW of downtown Carson City. The mine was
established in 1903 by Walter H. Chedic, and for
several yrs. graphite, or black lead, was mined there. In
1915, it was described in the Mineral Resources of the
United States as "...about four miles by road southwest
of Carson City, the haul from the mine to town being
downhill all the way over a fair road. The claims are in
Secs. 25 and 26, T15N, R19E...; they have been
developed by W. H. Chedic of Carson City. Small
amounts of graphite rock have been mined here for a
number of yrs., most of it from an open pit near the line
between Secs. 25 and 26." Black lead is an alternate
name for graphite. (Moore, 1969, 39; USGS, Min. Res.
of the U.S., 1915, pt.2, 90-91).
Carson City ca. 1860 (from Hutching’s California Magazine, April, 1860.)
near Mound House (NSJ, 1953, June 21, 8: 1-7).
Carson Branch Mint, see NEVADA STATE MUSEUM
CARSON CINDERLITE MINE (CC, New Empire 7.5’
quad.)
Reported in 1959 to be in operation in the Ormsby
(Carson) Mining District in the Virginia Range three mi.
north of the Carson City Airport. It was an open pit
cinder mine operated by Carson Cinderlite Inc. It is
listed in GNIS as Cinderlite Mine (NMM&S, 1959, 9).
CARSON BREWING COMPANY (CC, Carson City 7.5’
quad.)
Historic building at 449 W. King St. in Carson City. Built
in 1864, this early industrial building housed the
longest-running brewery in the state for 88 yrs. and
was the home of the famous Tahoe Beer. In the mid1900s, the building also housed the Nevada Appeal,
Nevada's oldest daily newspaper. The building was
purchased by the Arts Alliance through a communitywide effort to protect and preserve it. It is now known
as the Brewery Arts Center. It is listed on the NR and SR
CARSON CITY (Consolidated Municipality), 144 sq. mi.,
2000 population 52,457, 2010 population 55,274 (CC,
Carson City 7.5’ quad.)
35
Nevada Heartland
Nevada's capital, often referred to as Carson or the
Capital City or the State Capital, is the only combined
municipal government in the state. Until the consolidation
of city and county governments on July 1, 1969, it was
composed of the town of Carson City and Ormsby
County. It is served by U.S. Highways 50 (east-west) and
395 (north-south) and is in Eagle Valley 30 mi. south of
Reno on the western border of Nev. between Douglas
and Washoe counties. It extends eastward from Lake
Tahoe almost 22 mi. to a common border with Lyon
County along Eldorado Canyon in the northern Pine Nut
Mountains. The combined municipality measures 144
square mi.
Mottaz, 1978, 29-31).
CARSON CITY (Urban District), elev. 4697 ft. (CC,
Carson City and New Empire 7.5 ’ quads.)
First settled by whites in Dec. 1851 by six miners,
Joseph P. Barnard, Frank Barnard, George Follensbee,
Frank Hall, W.L. Hall, and A.J. Rollins, who came to
Carson Valley from Calif. to prospect for gold. Upon
becoming disenchanted with their mining ventures, they
Prior to 1861, what is now Carson City was part of
Carson County of the Territory of Utah. Carson County
was established in June 1854. It was a large county
occupying a sizable portion of what is now northwest
Nev. Because of the conflict between the Mormons and
non-Mormons (Gentiles) in western Utah Territory and
the resultant fear of the Mormon leaders in Salt Lake
City that the Gentiles would gain control of the county,
Carson County was dissolved in 1857 and made part of
Great Salt Lake County. In Jan. 1859, Carson County
was reorganized, with Genoa as the county seat. In
1861, the Territory of Nevada came into being, and
nine counties were created by the Nevada Territorial
Legislature. Ormsby County (now called Carson City)
was one of the nine and was named in tribute to Major
William M. Ormsby, an early Euro-American settler in
Carson City who was killed in the Battle of Pyramid Lake
in 1860. The same legislature approved an act making
Carson City the capital of Nevada Territory and the
county seat of Ormsby County.
View down Carson St. from the Capitol Plaza in the mid-1860s
(Library of Congress, Lawrence & Houseworth photo collection)
established a trading post north of Carson Valley,
known as Eagle Station and later Eagle Ranch, near the
site of the present State Capitol Building. In 1854, these
first settlers sold out to Messrs. Reese and Barnhard,
who sold the ranch to some Mormons in 1855. In 1857,
when Brigham Young summoned the Mormons back to
Salt Lake City, they sold the ranch to John Mankins.
After Abraham Curry found property in Genoa to be
too expensive, he along with Francis M. Proctor and
John J. Musser purchased the Mankins’ property in July
1858. Curry, Musser, Proctor, and Proctor's father-inlaw, Benjamin F. Green, laid out the town, and in Nov.
1858, a post office was established.
In 1890, Hubert Howe Bancroft described Ormsby
County as "...a small shire sandwiched between Douglas
and Washoe, but of an importance not proportioned to
its size, (containing) about 10,000 acres of arable land,
half of which was under cultivation in 1885, and
excellent grazing lands. It shared largely in the lumber
and wood trade, was the seat of numerous quartz mills,
contained the capitol of the state, the penitentiary, mint,
and other public institutions, and in 1876 paid taxes on
$2,677,066...Other towns and settlements in the county
include Brunswick, Clear Creek, Empire City, Lookout,
McRaey, Merrimac, Mexican, Mill Station, Santiago Mill,
Swifts Springs, and Vivian Mill."
In 1859, nearby Genoa became the county seat of
Carson County, Territory of Utah. In 1861, the Territory
of Nevada came into being, and nine counties were
created by the Nevada Territorial Legislature. Ormsby
County (now called Carson City) was one of the nine
counties and was named in memory of Major William M.
Ormsby who was killed in the Battle of Pyramid Lake in
1860. At the same time, Carson City was declared both
the permanent seat of government for the Territory of
Ormsby County remained in existence until 1969 when
Senate Bill No. 75 consolidated Ormsby County and
Carson City into one municipal government known as
Carson City (Amaral, 1972, n.p.; Angel, 1881, 38-102;
527-63; Bancroft, 1890, v.25, 255; Colton, 1855, map;
36
Mary B. Ansari
longer holds that distinction. Now Nevada's bustling and
prosperous capital successfully combines all the
amenities of a modern city with the charm and
quaintness associated with its 150-yr. history (Angel,
1881, 550-57; Bancroft, 1890, v.25, 71, 86, 166;
GNIS; Kelly, 1862, 66; Marsh, 1866, 809; Oldham,
1991, 9; Rocha, 1994; SMR, 1873-74, 79).
CARSON CITY AIRPORT (CC, New Empire 7.5’ quad.)
Located NE of downtown Carson City at 2640 E.
Graves Ln., Carson City’s airport serves private,
business, and charter flights. It was listed as CarsonTahoe Airport in a 1979 Polk
Directory of Carson City
(GNIS).
Nevada and the county seat of Ormsby County. The
public square or plaza was dedicated for the use of
government buildings. When Nev. became a state in
1864, Carson City became the capital. The town was
incorporated in 1875. Carson City served as the
county seat of Ormsby County from 1861 - 1969
when Ormsby County and Carson City were
consolidated into one municipal government called
Carson City.
Whether the town was named for the nearby Carson
River or for Carson County
in Utah Territory where it
originally was located
remains a matter of
conjecture, but the name
Carson City Brewery, see
ultimately honors John C.
CARSON BREWING
Frémont's famous scout, ‘Kit’
COMPANY
Carson. According to
Oldham, the town was
Carson City Cemeteries, see
named for the Carson River
(1) LONE MOUNTAIN
to indicate to everyone the
CEMETERY, (2) PIONEER
exact geographic location
CEMETERY, (3) WRIGHT
of the town. Various sources
CEMETERY (4) MOUNTAIN
have credited both
Abraham Curry and William
VIEW CEMETERY
M. Ormsby with naming the
town, but Andrew Marsh's
Carson City Community
minutes of the Second
College, see WESTERN
Constitutional Convention
NEVADA COLLEGE
reveal that F.M. Proctor took
credit for the naming of
(De Quille, 1876, 211)
Carson City. On July 27,
CARSON CITY COURTHOUSE
1864, in answer to an inquiry about the correct name
(CC, Carson City 7.5’ quad.)
for the seat of government being Carson City, Proctor
Located at 100 – 198 S. Carson St. in Carson City, this
declared, "I named the city myself; 'Carson City' is
structure was part of a complex of three government
what we used to call it."
buildings designed by well-known Nevada architect
Frederic DeLongchamps (1882-1969). The other
buildings in the complex were the Heroes Memorial
In the early 1870s, a State Mineralogist's Report
Building and the Nevada Supreme Court. The courthouse
described Carson City as having a population of
was completed in 1922 in the neo-classical style. Now
4,000 - 5,000. It had many attributes: the Carson
all three buildings are part of the Nevada Attorney
Branch Mint, which ranked second out of eight United
General’s Office (nps.gov). The courts have moved to
States mints in the production of domestic coinage; a
885 E. Musser St., in Carson City.
Capitol Building constructed of native sandstone
obtained from the State Prison quarry; the Orphan's
Home; five or six large first-class hotels; several large
CARSON CITY FAIRGROUNDS (CC, Genoa 7.5’ quad.)
restaurants and coffee stands; and many large
Located on Old Clear Creek Rd. behind Bodines Casino
mercantile establishments; and the largest and best
in Carson City, facility amenities include a rodeo arena,
public school house in the state, with four departments
grandstands, a 60-stall barn, a small open-air animal
and 230 students. Additionally, there were four
barn, animal wash racks, an announcement booth, and
churches and many gambling houses and saloons.
an indoor exhibit hall. An alternate name is Capital City
Fairgrounds.
For many yrs., Carson City was the smallest capital city
in the nation, but due to recent rapid growth, it no
37
Nevada Heartland
or Little Desert relative to the nearby more extensive
Twenty-Six-Mile Desert in Churchill County (Carlson,
1985, 236). Other early names were Carson Valley or
Carson Valley Bottoms, which according to Bray
(1913, 208) was the former name for the Big Bend of
the Carson River. "The Carson Valley bottoms, as it
was called, commenced about one mi. above Dayton
and continued down the river about twelve
miles" (Angel, 1881, 492). By the mid-1860s, “the
Carson Valley Bottom had become a producer of hay,
grain, and vegetables, and its mills were processing
nearly all of the ore coming out of the Comstock. “ The
area was described in a 1990 planning document as
one of four major valleys in Lyon County (LCMP, 1990,
44-45).
Daggett Pass in Calif. The Nev. portion of the range is
40 mi. long and surrounds the eastern and northern
shores of Lake Tahoe...This range was called East
Summit by DeGroot, Eastern Summit by A.R. Conkling
(1877) of the Wheeler Survey and Washoe Mountains
by Sereno Watson (1871) of the Fortieth Parallel
Survey. Conkling used the term Eastern Summit
because it forms the eastern boundary of Lake Tahoe
as opposed to the main Sierra crest, which he called
the Western Summit. The range has also been called
Rose Mountain Range. Since Carson City and Carson
Valley lie at the east base of the range, the name
Carson eventually became predominate..." The
western portions of Carson City and Douglas County
are dominated by the Carson Range, which is often
mistakenly described as being part of the Sierra
Nevada. Most geographers and geologists consider
the Carson Range to be separate from the Sierra
Nevada.
Carson Rapids City, see MINERAL RAPIDS
CARSON RIVER (CC, DO, LY)
Major Nev. river, whose east and west forks have their
sources in the Sierra Nevada in Alpine County, Calif.
The East Fork is 65 mi. long. The West Fork is 33 mi. in
length and has about one-third the average flow of
the East Fork (Horton, ca. 1997, pt. I). After entering
Nev., the forks flow northeasterly through western
Douglas County, where they merge NW of MindenGardnerville near Genoa and flow through eastern
Carson City along the northwestern base of the Pine
Nut Mountains. The river enters northwestern Lyon
County in the vicinity of Mound House and flows
through the Dayton and Fort Churchill areas to
northeastern Lyon County where it forms Lahontan
Reservoir. Its terminus is Churchill County in the Carson
Sink. The name first appeared on Preuss’s 1848 map.
Also, in 1848, Henry William Bigler called the river
‘Pilot River,’ because it served as a guide or pilot for
early travelers from the Lahontan Basin to the Sierra
(Gudde, 1962, 118). GNIS lists East Fork of Old River
and Old River as variant names.
Carson River Canyon, see CARSON CANYON
CARSON RANGE (CC & DO)
McLane (1978, 33) reported that "the Carson Range is
a 50.5- mile-long range situated in Eldorado and
Alpine counties, Calif., and Douglas and Washoe
counties and Carson City, Nev. It extends north from
Luther Pass in Calif. to the Truckee River south of
Peavine Mountain in Washoe County, Nev. The range
is 11 mi. wide at its southern end and five mi. wide at
CARSON RIVER MINING DISTRICT (CC, McTarnahan
Hill 7.5’ quad.)
Mining district organized in 1860, including the area
on the Carson River near the mouth of Clear Creek (TE,
1860, Apr. 14, 4:3; Apr. 21, 2:2).
CARSON RIVER PARK (CC, New Empire 7.5’ quad.)
38
Mary B. Ansari
between the Carson Range and Pine Nut Mountains, this
valley, measuring about 30 mi. in length and 18 mi.
wide, contains the thriving communities of Minden and
Gardnerville and the historic settlement of Genoa. It was
named for the Carson River, whose east and west forks
are prominent features of the valley (Angel, 1881, 373).
U.S. Hwy. 395 runs north-south through the valley, and
NSR 207 connects the valley with the Lake Tahoe portion
of Douglas County. In the early and mid-1900s, this
verdant valley contained some of the largest cattle
ranches in the state. It is known as the ‘garden spot’ of
Nev. Now it is home to many retirees and is still known
for its beef production and agriculture as well as scenic
beauty and recreational opportunities.
This 40-acre, Carson City park adjacent to Lloyds Bridge
features picnic and fishing areas on the NW and SE
banks of the Carson River. A.k.a. Camp Carson Park and
River Park.
CARSON RIVER ROUTE (CC, DO, LY)
The historic Carson River Route of the California
Emigrant Trail entered Ormsby County (now called
Carson City) through Mound House in Lyon County. From
there it went over the low pass and continued on to meet
the Carson River at Empire City. Here the trail split, with
a branch leading south along the Carson River, and the
main route continuing west to Eagle Station near the site
of the present Nevada State Capitol Building. The trail
then continued south along the foothills of the Carson
Range, essentially following the alignment of Curry St.
The old road crossed Clear Creek at Clear Creek
Station. The main route entered Douglas County west of
present-day Fuji Park in Carson City. It then cut
southwest past the old Pony Saloon and south into Jacks
Valley. From Water Creek, the route laid just east of
present Jacks Valley Rd. to Genoa. South of Genoa,
part of the old trail is under present Foothill Rd. From
Captain George Cemetery, the Carson River Route is just
east of the blacktop. Past Sheridan the trail went past
Fairview and on past Woodfords in Calif. This route was
first used in 1848 and heavily traveled for the next 20
yrs. (McLane, 1982, Table 4, HSD - Douglas County &
Ormsby County). It is a.k.a. Pioneer Trail (Smith, 1991,
55) and Emigrant Trail.
The first white men to arrive in the valley were a small
party of Mormons led by Henry W. Bigler in Aug. 1848.
The party had been commissioned at Sutter’s Fort in
Calif. to open a wagon road over the Sierra to replace
the one over Donner Pass. It took the crew a week to put
a road though seven mile long Woodfords Canyon
(earlier known as Carson Canyon) following the West
Fork Carson River. From there the crew built the road
following the river through Carson Valley. The wagon
route, known as the Carson River Route, opened that
same yr. (Dangberg, 1972 1-2). The first permanent
settlement in the valley was built along the Carson River
Route in 1851 at Mormon Station. In 1855, the
settlement became known as Genoa. Genoa was the
center of activity in the valley until the late 1870s.
Carson Springs, see CARSON HOT SPRINGS
Gardnerville, founded in 1879, was the second major
settlement in the valley. Minden was founded in 1906,
and the county seat was moved from Genoa to Minden
in 1917. Today, the Minden-Gardnerville area is the
major population hub of the valley, but Genoa remains
very much alive with its historic and recreational appeal.
At the north end of the valley, Indian Hills is a rapidly
developing commercial and residential area.
Carson-Tahoe Airport, see CARSON CITY AIRPORT
CARSON-TAHOE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER (CC,
Carson City 7.5’ quad.)
This regional medical center has its main offices at 1600
Medical Parkway in Carson City. It offers some services
in Dayton and Minden as well.
Carson Valley/Carson Valley Bottoms, see CARSON
PLAINS
Carson Territory, see NEVADA
CARSON VALLEY BUSINESS PARK (DO, McTarnahan
Hill 7.5’ quad.)
Located to the south of Johnson Ln. and to the north of
the Minden-Tahoe Airport.
CARSON TUNGSTEN MINE (CC, McTarnahan Hill 7.5’
quad.)
Reported in 1952 as operating 16 mi. east of Carson
City in the Pine Nut Mountains in both Ormsby (now
called Carson City) and Douglas counties (NMM&S,
1952, 13).
CARSON VALLEY GOLF COURSE (DO, Gardnerville
7.5’ quad.)
Located on Riverview Dr. off U.S Hwy. 395 on the East
Fork Carson River at the south end of Gardnerville. On
land that was purchased from the Pettigrew family in
CARSON VALLEY, elev. 4625 ft. (DO)
Situated east of Lake Tahoe and south of Carson City
39
Nevada Heartland
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Mary Ansari Nevada Heartland History‐Geographical Barbara Davis Craps and the Showgirl– Personal Narrative Dennis DuPerault Auto Emotions 101‐Updated and Revised, Non‐Fiction‐Self‐Help Eddie Floyd Final Breath, Paperback Contemporary Western Romance Eddie Floyd Barn Yarns, Fiction‐ Contemporary Western D. Robert Harden Harden, You’re Killing Me Fiction‐Historical Dennis Hill Out in the Sagebrush , Fiction‐Contemporary Western Mary Elizabeth Morgan One Stupid Night, Non‐Fiction‐Young Adult Beachy Orr Exploring Sand Harbor Photo Book Beachy Orr TBA Photo Book Pan Pantoja Pan Out Loud, No Salvaging from the Pit and more Poetry and Art Mark Shaff Saint or Sinner‐(Working Title) Fiction‐Adventure Floyd Sneed L’African, Personal Story
Nevada Heartland: The Place Names of Carson City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey Counties, Nevada by
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40
Do you know the answers?
 In what city was a major horse racing track , considered to be
the
fastest track in the Pacific Coast area, located?
 What place name in Syria is also a place name in Carson City?
 What woman , in 1875, won a bid to erect an iron fence with
gates around the Nevada State Capitol Building grounds?
 What did the customers call the liquor made by a saloon owner
in Yerington in the early settlement days?
These are just a few of the many bits and pieces of interesting facts in Nevada Heartland. As Eric Moody commented in the foreword to the book, “One can dip into the
book at any point and find not only significant information
about the name of a specific place, but also little-known
facts or stories relating to the site.”
DR. MARY B. ANSARI
During the 25 years that Mary Ansari was a
member of the University of Nevada, Reno faculty, she
held a variety of administrative positions in the University
Library. She was tenured in 1973 and promoted to professor in 1983. In 1994, she retired as Director Emerita of
Administrative Services and Branch Libraries. During her
tenure at the University, she published widely in library
and place-name literature. She was national president of
the Geoscience Information Society, and the society’s Distinguished Service and Best Reference Book awards bear
her name.
With her husband, Nazir, she has been a major
benefactor to education, human services, and the arts in
Nevada. She is trustee and secretary-treasurer of the
Nazir and Mary Ansari Foundation, a charitable foundation seeking to improve people’s lives through support of
human services, education, the arts and culture in northern
Nevada. In 2007, she and her husband were recognized
by the University of Nevada’s Board of Regents as Distinguished Nevadans and were honored as Outstanding
Philanthropists by the Sierra Chapter of the Association of
Fundraising Professionals. The University of Nevada,
Reno’s Map Library bears her name. She has served on
several public boards and continues to publish books on
Nevada place names.
Mary received a Masters degree in
Library Science from the University of Illinois
and a Masters in Business Administration from
Western Michigan University. She received a
Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University
of Nevada, Reno. Mary and her husband reside
in Incline Village, Nevada, USA.