Fort Churchill
I took a trip out to Fort Churchill in early October to see a bit of Nevada history. About an hour drive from Reno the road out Highway 50 takes you through Dayton, Nevada the location of the first gold discovery in Nevada. Now, onto some history about Fort Churchill largely taken from the site pamphlet.
Captain Joseph Stewart and his Carson River Expedition were ordered to establish a post on the Carson River and started work on July 20, 1860. Fort Churchill, about 30 miles east of Carson City, Nevada, was constructed as a desert outpost to guard the Pony Express and other mail routes. During the Civil War, this fort was an important supply depot for the Nevada Military District and as a base for troops patrolling the overland routes.
The fort was named after Sylvester Churchill, the Inspector General of the U.S. Army. It was built as a permanent installation though it was abandoned in 1869. The adobe buildings that were erected on stone foundations formed a square, facing a central parade ground. The adobe buildings were auctioned off for $750.
It wasn't until the early 1930's that the Nevada Sagebrush Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution took interest in preserving the fort and managed to get 200 acres transferred to the state. The National Park Service made restoration plans and the Civilian Conservation Corps renovated what was left of the fort and built the visitor center. In 1957 the fort became part of Nevada's State Park System.
Visiting Fort Churchill requires some imagination. The buildings that remain are in ruins; others are only identified with markers to tell you what once stood there. Regardless of the state of arrested decay, Fort Churchill is a remarkable piece of Nevada history and the American West.