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Rock Creek (Cold Springs Station)

Rock Creek

Rock Creek Overview

In 1860, a Pony Express Station was built to the east.

At this site, in 1861 fresh horses, blacksmith services, and wagon-repair facilities were available to service stagecoaches.

The ruins of a telegraph repeater and maintenance station are also nearby.

Category

  1. Pony Express
  2. Telegraph

Marker Type

Blue marker

Nevada Historical Marker Number

Rock Creek is Nevada Historical Marker #83.

Click here to view the full list of Nevada State Historical Markers.

County

Churchill County, Nevada

GPS Coordinates

39.390158, -117.854349

Nevada Historical Marker Transcription

Rock Creek was an important stagecoach stop on the Overland Mail & Stage Company’s historic line along the Simpson route between Salt Lake City and Genoa, Nevada, which was operated by John Butterfield (1861-1 866) and later Wells, Fargo & Company (1866-1869).  Fresh horses, blacksmith services, and wagon-repair facilities were available here.

The Pony Express constructed the Cold Springs station in 1860 on the sagebrush bench eastward across the highway. 

To the north are the ruins of a telegraph repeater and maintenance station which serviced this segment of the transcontinental line, which was completed between Sacramento and Omaha in 1861.  The line was abandoned in August 1869.  The coming of the transcontinental railroad and its parallel telegraph line along the Humboldt River to the north spelled the demise of both the telegraph line and the stage route here.

STATE HISTORICAL MARKER NO.  83

STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE

AUSTIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

References Used

Rock Creek