Schellbourne Nevada

Schellbourne Nevada Overview

Schellbourne was located approximately four miles east of this marker in White Pine County, Nevada.

Named for the nearby Schell Creek, which was named for Major A. J. Schell.

The Pony Express established a mail station there in 1860. Fort Schellbourne, a small military post, protected the station.

In the early 1870s, silver ore was discovered in the mountains immediately to the east. After mining dried up, the town was the headquarters for various ranches.

Schell Creek Nevada History

Information from Historic Resource Study Pony Express National Historic Trail:

Sources generally agree on the identity of Schell Creek, also known later as Schellbourne or Fort Schellboure.

Stone and log structures housed craftsmen who kept the coaches and other equipment in good repair, and the station compound grew into Fort Schellbourne, a town of 500 by the 1870s.

Two log structures, as well as other buildings, remain from the old fort. Local belief suggests that one of them served as the Pony Express station, but no actual proof exists.

Timeline

Late 1859 – George Chorpenning and Howard Egan established a station at the site, which served the Pony Express during its existence and the Overland Mail Company line until 1869.
1860 – The Pony Express established a mail station and corral there, providing mail service to the region until 1861, when the Overland Stage company took over the route
June 8, 1860 – Indians attacked the station. According to one source, they scared away the station’s residents and destroyed the building. Another source claims that Indians killed three people at the station before scattering the station’s livestock.
October 5, 1960 – English traveler Richard Burton stopped at Schell Creek and identified Francais de France Constant Dubail as the station keeper at the bullet-scarred log structure.
October 26, 1861 – The operations cease after the first transcontinental telegraph was established on October 24, 1861
1862 – A small military post known as Fort Schellbourne joined the station until 1862, protecting the stage line during the conflicts between whites and the Newe (Goshute and Western Shoshone) Indians.
1862-1863 – After the Pony Express ended, the Overland Mail Company established its Utah to central Nevada district headquarters at Schell Creek.
Early 1870 – Prospectors discovered silver ore in the mountains immediately to the east of Schellbourne and created the Aurum Mining District in 1871. An active mining camp developed with a population of over 500 people.
1885 – The ore had been mostly depleted, with other mining towns like Cherry Creek drawing residents away. The district and adjacent valley were acquired by Uncle Billy” and Eliza Burke as a ranch and hotel. Schellbourne has subsequently operated as the headquarters for various ranches since that time.

Nevada State Historical Category

Military
Mining
Pony Express
Ranching/Farming

Nevada State Historical Marker Type

Blue marker

Nevada Historical Marker Number

Schellbourne Nevada is Nevada Historical Marker #51.

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

Elevation

Unknown at this time.

Location

Located between Egan Canyon and Antelope Springs Station.

I need to do further research as when I search for Schell Creek, Schellbourne, and other places that should be the same but with different names, they are bouncing all over the map and are nowhere near each other. For now, we are using the location below until we find more information.

GPS Coordinates

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Photos and Videos

Gold Hill Daily News • Gold Hill, Nevada • 02 Jan 1872, Tue • Page 2

Schell Creek—From a letter from Schell Creek we make the following extract:

I am well satisfied that this place will be very lively next Spring, and no White Pine bilk. The mines are here and very rich. In fact, the ore is the richest I have ever seen, anil there Is plenty of it. The prospects for a large and flourishing place are good. Schell Creek—or Schellburn, as it is dubbed by the town proprietors—Is the principal place, and Is situated on Schcll creek, on the old overland mall route. The creek was named after Major Schell. who commanded a detachment of United States troops here for the protection of the stage company against Indiana, some years ago. Queen Springs, South Camp and Rubyville are the other towns, all within a few miles, and draw their supplies from this place. There are here at present two stores, four boarding houses, two lodging houses, two livery stables a meat market and everything else that goes to make up a new town. It Is rumored that Skillman, formerly of the “Eureka Sentinel,” is to start a daily paper here next Spring.

County

White Pine County, Nevada

GPS Coordinates

39.797254 -114.741044

Nevada Historical Marker Transcription

Schellbourne was a mail station and town, located approximately four miles east of this marker in Stage Canyon, nestled in the Schell Creek mountain range. The Pony Express established a mail station and corral there in 1860, providing mail service to the region until 1861, when the Overland Stage company took over the route. A small military post known as Fort Schellbourne joined the station until 1862, protecting the stage line during the conflicts between whites and the Newe (Goshute and Western Shoshone) Indians.

Prospectors discovered silver ore in the mountains immediately to the east of Schellbourne in the early 1870s, and created the Aurum Mining District in 1871. An active mining camp developed with a population of over 500 people. By 1885, the ore had been mostly depleted, with other mining towns like Cherry Creek drawing residents away. The district and adjacent valley were acquired by Uncle Billy” and Eliza Burke as a ranch and hotel. Schellbourne has subsequently operated as the headquarters for various ranches since that time.

STATE HISTORICAL MARKER No. 51

STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE

WHITE PINE PUBLIC MUSEUM INC.

References Used

Click here to view our list of History of the Southwest – Books and Online Resources to learn more about our amazing area!

Godfrey, Ph.D., Anthony, (August 1994), Historic Resource Study Pony Express National Historic Trail
State Historic Preservation Office – Schellbourne Nevada