Kingsbury Grade
Kingsbury Grade Overview
In the late 1850s a toll road was constructed to meet the demand for a more direct route from California to the Washoe mines and to shorten the distance between Sacramento and Virginia City
by ten miles.
Category
Trail/Road
Marker Type
Blue marker
Nevada Historical Marker Number
Kingsbury Grade is Nevada Historical Marker #117.
Click here to view the full list of Nevada State Historical Markers.
County
GPS Coordinates
38.965550, -119.839676
Nevada Historical Marker Transcription
Originally named Georgetown Trail, the Dagget Pass Trail and Pass was named after Charles Dagget who acquired the land at the base of the road in 1854. In 1859— 1860, David Kingsbury and John McDonald received a franchise from the Utah Territory to operate the toll road. At the time, the area was part of the Utah Territory.
The men spent about $70,000 to construct a wagon road to meet the demand for a more direct route from California to the Washoe mines and to shorten the distance between Sacramento and Virginia City by ten miles. The new 16 foot wide road, supported in some places by granite retaining walls on both sides, made the passage easier for travelers on this main route from California. Merchants and teamsters frequently traveled this road moving goods and people in and out of Nevada.
In 1863, some of the tolls were 50 cents for a man and horse and $2.00 for a horse and buggy. That year the estimated tolls collected were $75,000.
STATE HISTORICAL MARKER NO. 117
STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE