Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Fort Churchill Post Headquarters

Wandering home after this year's Petersen Shootout, this is one of the places I stopped. I visited five Nevada State historical markers [Buckland's Station #192, Camels in Dayton #199, Halls Station #200, Chinatown #163 and Dayton #7] and three Pony Express Markers [Nevada Station, Dayton and Fort Churchill] and wandered through the Fort Churchill ruins.

Fort Churchill Post Headquarters
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This waymark is located in Fort Churchill State Historic Park, Silver Springs, Nevada. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 39° 17.600 W 119° 16.182.

A list of Pony Express Waymarks that I have visited can be found here. You can log your visit to this landmark at waymark.com.

Fort Churchill Post Headquarters

Indian raids and the interruption of Pony Express mail service spurred the construction of Fort Churchill on the banks of the Carson River. Captain Joseph Stewart and his men began building the fort on July 20, 1860, as a permanent installation, consisting of adobe buildings erected on stone foundations. This fort housed the Pony Express station in its headquarters building, which is still standing. When Richard Burton arrived on October 19, 1860, he gave it a positive review and named Captain F. F. Flint as the commander.

Fort Churchill Post Headquarters

Post Headquarters

The commander's office and courtroom were located in this building which served as the administrative headquarters of the fort.

Between the post headquarters and the officers quarters ran the Pony Express. The rider would stop here momentarily to pick up mail.

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