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Location: Northeastern Elko County, Pilot Peak Valley, Montello
Directions: At corner of SR 233 and Cemetery Rd, 23 miles north of Interstate 80
Location: 8
Visibility: 4
Accessibility: 4
Marker type: St (M)
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Date Conquered: 5/14/08
Quick Description: A unique marker honoring early victims (soldiers) of an Influenza epidemic whose records have been lost to history.
Signed: Yes -- Interesting enough, signage is still present for a marker with a missing plaque! Nonetheless, #73 is signed on both lanes of SR 233.
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NOTES: Be warned that this marker sits well off the beaten path of Interstate 80. Although it's only 23 miles to Montello from the offramp, it really requires a 50 mile round trip to obtain this one marker. Not so bad? Well, here's the catch: the Montello exit (Oasis) is located in between two necessary fuel stops, West Wendover and Wells. The solution? Fill up in either West Wendover or Wells and straight for Montello. In all directions between these two stops, fuel and services are non-existent. Once you leave Montello, the nearest fuel is 94 miles away in Snowville, Utah. This is a remote corner of Nevada that only locals traverse. Reason enough?
The lonely drive to #73.
 The speed limit on SR 233 is a regular 70MPH. However, on my way I spotted a nice amount of antelope straying very close to the highway fence. Use caution along this road. This is no place to breakdown!
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 Only the shell remains! Sadly, #73 is 1 of only 2 state markers with a MISSING PLAQUE. However as of 2009, a new plaque has been installed.
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Full Description:
Exact description as reads ...
Victims of the influenza epidemic of 1918, the graves of ten soldiers buried here represent a mystery to this day as to their identity. During a period of World War I, troop trains ran regularly through Montello. As soldiers became ill en route, they were unloaded at the nearest hospitals. The Southern Pacific Railroad kept a doctor at Montello who checked every train en route. Ill passengers were treated in a makeshift hospital at the town's hotel.
The graves were unmarked for years but through the persistent efforts of Mr. and Mrs. William Kimber of Montello, and the 40 & 8 of Las Vegas, the previously unmarked graves, although still unidentified as to name, were marked in 1975.
Unfortunately, fires had destroyed the original government records.
 (2008) Notice the marker's close proximity to somebody's house. Again, another victim of bad placement by NDOT. #73 was once located in the town cemetery, but officials thought it was better to place the marker in full view along the highway ...
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 Photo taken in 2008. Elko County NDOT recently erected a new plaque on this naked marker. Even in a quiet niche like Montello, historic markers are not forgotten.
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 (2008) #73 sits naked for all to see. Read the plaque and you'll see why this is one very sad marker.
In the b.g. sits Utah, only ten road miles away.
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Since you've already come this far, you might as well see what this marker represents. This is the picturesque Montello Cemetery, the home of the graves of the Unknown Soldiers.
 Morning light and the Montello Cemetery, in a remote corner of Nevada.
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 In combination with the loss of all paper records and the marker's missing plaque, there isn't a spot of information left to tell of the victims' stories. Reasons like these are why it's so important to care for our Historical Markers! The rest of the state will probably never know about the stories here due to the removal of this plaque, especially so in this remote corner of Nevada.
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