Historic Sites and Points of Interest in Elko County

California Emigrant Trail Near Wells Nevada
First there was the California Emigrant Trail...
where wagon trains rested and refitted at Humboldt Wells (now named Wells)
5 August 2010

Ranch House Resort and Motel on Old US 40 in Wells, Nevada
Then there was the Victory Highway (State Route 1)...
which became a section of the Lincoln Highway,
the first paved road to cross the United States...
which was renamed US 40...
which in the town of Wells intersected US 93
to bring tourists and gamblers from California and Idaho and Utah

18-Wheelers Dominate I-80 in Nevada
Then There Was I-80...
where 18-wheelers pass just south of Wells racing between California and Utah

All Photos Summer 2010
(Click Photos to Zoom)


The route of Interstate 80 was first used by California-bound travelers and was called the California Trail. From the Utah State line until modern Wells, I-80 follows a lesser used branch of the trail called Hastings Cutoff. The cutoff rejoins the main route of the trail near Wells. The main route of the California Trail is approximated by modern State Route 233 in eastern Nevada.

From Wells west to Lovelock in Pershing County, I-80 faithfully follows the California Trail. West of Lovelock, in the middle of the Humboldt Sink, the California Trail again splits into two branches. These branches, the Carson River route and the Truckee River route, are named for the waterways that guide each branch up the Sierra Nevada mountains. I-80 follows the Truckee route, the Carson route is approximated by U.S. Route 95, U.S. Route 50, U.S. Route 395 and State Route 88/California State Route 88.

The route of modern I-80 was also previously used for the construction of two transcontinental railroads. The First Transcontinental Railroad, completed in 1869, closely followed the main line of the California Trail, and I-80 west of Wells. The Feather River Route was constructed in 1909, and generally follows the Hastings Cutoff through eastern Nevada. It also runs parallel to I-80 in Nevada east of Winnemucca.

Source: Wikipedia Interstate 80 in Nevada

For more about the history of Wells, see As The Tale Is Told.


Name Address City Year Authority ID Sort Address Sort Name
California Trail 15Goose Creek RoadRuralPOIGoose CreeekCalifornia Trail 15
California Trail 16Goose Creek RoadRuralPOIGoose CreeekCalifornia Trail 16
California Trail 17Goose Creek RoadRuralPOIGoose CreeekCalifornia Trail 17
California Trail 18OHV RoadRuralPOIOHVCalifornia Trail 18
California Trail 19OHV RoadRuralPOIOHVCalifornia Trail 19
California Trail 20OHV RoadRuralPOIOHVCalifornia Trail 20
California Trail 21County Road 763RuralPOI763-10California Trail 21
California Trail 26US 93RuralPOI093-100California Trail 26
California Trail 27OHV RoadRuralPOIOHVCalifornia Trail 27
California Trail 27AOHV RoadRuralPOIOHVCalifornia Trail 27A
California Trail 28OHV RoadRuralPOIOHVCalifornia Trail 28
California Trail 28AOHV RoadWellsPOIOHVCalifornia Trail 28A
California Trail 29OHV RoadWellsPOIOHVCalifornia Trail 29
California Trail 30Upper Metropolis RoadWellsPOIUpperCalifornia Trail 30
California Trail 31OHV RoadWellsPOIOHVCalifornia Trail 31
California Trail 39Chestnut StreetCarlin CanyonPOIChestnutCalifornia Trail 39
California Trail 40Chestnut StreetCarlinPOIChestnutCalifornia Trail 40
California Trail 41State Route 278CarlinPOI278-10California Trail 41
California Trail Interpretive CenterI-80 Hunter Exit 292ElkoPOIHighway 080California Trail Interpretive Center
CarlinWest Hamilton and B StreetsCarlinNevada112HamiltonCarlin
Carlin CanyonChestnut StreetCarlin CanyonNevada50ChestnutCarlin Canyon
ContactHighway 93ContactNevada260Highway 093Contact
Diamondfield Jack Davis1385 US 93 JackpotNevada251Highway 093Diamondfield Jack Davis
Dinner StationState Route 225Dinner StationNevada244Highway 225Dinner Station
Duck Valley Indian ReservationState Route 225OwyheeNevada151Highway 225Duck Valley Indian Reservation
ElkoEast Idaho Street in City ParkElkoNevada106Idaho 1500Elko
Elko County Courthouse571 East Idaho StreetElkoNational1992001259IdahoE 0571Elko County Courthouse
Elko Main Post Office275 ThirdElkoNational1990000133 Street 03Elko Main Post Office
Fort HalleckI-80 at Halleck InterchangeHalleckNevada47Highway 080 02Fort Halleck
Gold Creek Ranger StationFS Road NF-056 Near Gold Creek RoadHumboldt National ForestNational1992001187NF-056Gold Creek Ranger Station
Greenhorn Cutoff 7Chestnut StreetCarlinPOIChestnutGreenhorn Cutoff 7
Hastings Cutoff 28Hamilton Stage RoadRuralPOIHamiltonHastings Cutoff 28
Hastings Cutoff 29Hamilton Stage RoadRuralPOIHamiltonHastings Cutoff 29
Hastings Cutoff 30Lower South Fork RoadRuralPOILower South ForkHastings Cutoff 30
Humboldt WellsI-80 at Union Pacific Railroad OverpassWellsNevada45Highway 080 03Humboldt Wells
JarbidgeChildren's ParkJarbidgeNevada69ParkJarbidge
Jarbidge Community HallMain StreetJarbidgeNevada153MainJarbidge Community Hall
Lamoille Organization Camp FS Road 122 Toiyabe National Forest National2007000553Lamoille Organization Camp
Lamoille ValleyState Route 227LamoilleNevada109Highway 227Lamoille Valley
Midas SchoolhouseSecond Street Two Blocks East of MainMidasNational2004000727 Street 02Midas Schoolhouse
Oil From ShaleWest Idaho Street Between Hot Springs Road and Mountain City HighwayElkoNevada229IdahoOil From Shale
Pilot PeakI-80, About Ten Miles West of WendoverWendoverNevada46Highway 080 04Pilot Peak
Ruby Valley Pony Express Station1515 Idaho StreetElkoNevada108Idaho 1515Ruby Valley Pony Express Station
Ruby Valley Pony Express Station1515 East Idaho StreetElkoNational1975001110Idaho E 1515Ruby Valley Pony Express Station
Terminus of the First Commercial Air Mail RouteMurray Way and Mountain City HighwayElkoNevada107MurrayTerminus of the First Commercial Air Mail Route
TuscaroraSR 226 at Midas-Tuscarora RoadTuscaroraNevada48Highway 226Tuscarora
Unknown SoldiersSR 233 at Cemetery RoadMontelloNevada73Highway 233Unknown Soldiers
West End of Hastings CutoffI-80 Exit 292HunterNevada3Highway 080 01West End of Hastings Cutoff
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