Missing Markers: "The obnoxious case of the MIA's" So far in my collection of Nevada's historical markers, 7 of its now 267 markers are what I consider "MIA's", markers that are "Missing in Action" so to speak. This is due to rapid expansion in our state, as many workers and builders take down the markers for their safety but fail to re-erect them. And in a few instances, mainly in rural areas, some markers have been vandalized beyond recognition and removed by the Historical Society to prevent further repair costs. After speaking to the State Historic Preservation Office, or SHPO, I have learned that processes are being done to re-erect these missing markers. For one thing, it is NOT the job of the Office for erecting and maintaining of the state's historical markers, but rather NDOT's. For another thing, the Office doesn't seem to record which marker's are really missing. They only go by us, the actual marker hunters, who call up and let them know they are missing. Therefore, finding any information on the missing markers as to their whereabouts or what happened to them is a real hit and miss. As state budget costs fluctuate rapidly, needless to say, the task of looking out for the markers are down at the bottom of the list. If you would like these markers to be re-erected, as I would (especially to complete ALL 267)... please, feel free to write me and I can easily spread your word about them. Or, you can give them a call @ (775) 684-3448. Like anything, with enough badgering and the public talking about how important they are, something will be done. In the meantime, if you see anybody vandalizing or otherwise defacing any historic markers, please feel free to speak up. If you don't, another marker could be very well added to this MIA list. Until then, these are the following markers that are still in the system, but sadly aren't anywhere to be found and essentially what I dub as "MIA's". Don't expect these to be replaced anytime soon, but maybe with a little badgering on our part, we can see them re-erected in the next few months or so. Just recently, missing marker #61 Mound House was re-erected only in August of last year! A few of these, particularly #243 and #259, I fortunately had the opportunity to record on this website, but for today's viewer, are completely gone. Keep checking back on this page as fuurther updates will be posted as soon I have them! ~ As of: September 2008 ~ Missing Markers: 12/267 *HM 12* Nevada's Birthplace (Douglas Co.) Directions: According to the State Marker System, the location for this marker is: "Located at the junction of U.S. Highway 395 and State Route 88 just north of Minden, Nevada." As far as know, there is NO MARKER HERE. For this, I underwent some ardious research and learned that the marker was actually moved after NDOT rebuilt this intersection. Where it was moved, nobody really knows for sure. I gave NDOT a call to find this out, and they quote, "don't have any records of an historic marker at that intersection". Later, I asked around and a few locals do remember the marker and a few even told me it was moved near Lampe Park in Gardnerville for awhile. Well, I even checked there too, covering Lampe Park from end to end and many of the back streets around the area to no avail. All of this information and months of trying to find this marker has led me to conclude that this marker is MIA. Hours of web searching led me to no new information on this marker. However, there are a few very elusive pictures of #12 sitting around Lampe Park. I know these pictures aren't phony because it clearly shows the marker with chipped off edges and faded lettering, evidence of it taking damage after being moved by NDOT. Unfortunately, I've been to Lampe Park and nearly every corner around there and have been unsuccessful in finding this marker. This frustrates me even more. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough? If you want to do your own hunting, it is an old "Stone" type marker and from what I've heard is in really bad shape. It was last seen "around Lampe Park". If you do find this marker, please let me know and I will be glad to give you full credit to the finding of this marker! >> HM 13 >> *HM 24* Olinghouse (Washoe Co.) Directions: According to the State Marker System, the location for this marker is: "Located off a dirt road approximately six miles northwest of Wadsworth, Nevada." There is quite a bit of story regarding this annoying marker. If you travel the road to Olinghouse today, don't be shocked if you find it CLOSED 6 miles from the highway. That's right. What was then is now a large cattle gate spanning the road, with liberally posted "Private Property" signs and other threatening signs warning people to "Stay Out!" My trip up to the gate was a calm one, however, others who came before me had much different experiences, including threats of violence... Until about 4 years ago, the Olinghouse Marker (#24) was located at the townsite of Olinghouse. However, I learned there is much more to Olinghouse than meets the books. Tons of research has gone into uncovering the mystery of the Olinghouse Marker and although still continues today, I have concluded that this marker is pretty much gone and might never come back. Until about 5 years ago, Olinghouse was open to the public. People could drive right up the road, park, walk around and enjoy an old ghost town. Later, somebody bought the property and the townsite is now the location of an active re-working of the Olinghouse Mine. As a result, the town is now strictly closed to the public. I got in contact with Bob from Forgottennevada.org and a few others from a GhostTownWebRing and have learned much about the goings on at Olinghouse. Although the owner (who's contact number I shall keep to myself for privacy reasons), is a very nice guy, stating that he only closed the town from the public for liability reasons of the mine. However, the story gets interesting because he has a caretaker living on the property that "likes to shoot at people". Some people who have tried to visit Olinghouse have been severely threatened by this 'caretaker', with little to no regard for anybody else, including threats of violence, nasty emails and reporting of 'trespassing' to Washoe County Sheriff. The sad thing is, these people never crossed the gate onto the property, but were confronted by this 'caretaker' for simply driving the PUBLIC ROAD to the town... Needless to say, accessing Olinghouse is out of the question unless you can get in touch with the owner himself. A fellow marker hunter, Dave S, has also been actively working to find out information about mysterious Marker 24. According to a late email he sent to me, he sat down and had a meeting with the folks at the State Historic Preservation Office and met with Mara Jones, one of the Architectural Historians at the Office and told him "the marker at Olinghouse is no longer there." Apparently people were using it for target practice (more evidence of the trigger happy caretaker) and the state was tired of replacing it. So as of now, it's definitely not there and are unsure if they want to replace it any time soon. As far as they know, there is NO MARKER HERE. The case of Marker 24 is a good example of how heartless vandalism ruins precious sites for everybody! However, because the town is located on private property, Olinghouse itself is in good condition, with 4 buildings still standing! As for conquering this marker, it's pretty much out of the question. The hunt for Olinghouse still continues today, but if you want to do your own hunting for it, I advise much caution if you ply the road to Olinghouse! The road to Olinghouse is unsigned, but the HUGE dirt road hard to miss, located only 3 miles N of Wadsworth. All dirt, the road is very good, passable by any passenger car and the town itself lies only 6 miles W of SR 447. However, the locked gate is at Mile 5. #24 is a "medium sized Standard" type marker and rumored to actually be located 70 miles N at Bruno's Country Club in Gerlach. Again, this is ONLY A RUMOR. My thoughts on this rumor are like a teetering scale because on my conquering of #152 Gerlach, I did see what looked like a state historic marker (built by the SHPO)sitting in front of Bruno's. This marker was without a plaque (again, more valid evidence that it could be what's left of #24), instead embossed with the words, "Bruno's Country Club". Somebody might have found the marker and took it to Bruno's. Again, this is only a rumor, but in terms of hunting for Olinghouse... I'll take any information I can get. >> HM 25 >> *HM 85* Sutro (Lyon Co.) Directions: According to the State Marker System, the location for this marker is: "Located on U.S. Highway 50, three miles east of Dayton, Nevada." I live only 6 miles W of here, and I know for a fact, there is NO MARKER HERE. This could be for a very good reason. Up until about 5 years ago, Dayton was a quiet, sleepy town on US 50 East, the last real stop before heading out into the open plains of Lyon and Churchill Counties. Now, the housing boom in Dayton has changed everything, including the location of this marker. If you clock three miles from the stoplight in Dayton, "three miles east of Dayton" would put you exactly intersecting "Segale Road". All that lies at Segale Rd and US 50 are open, sageless plains of dirt where housing developers have plowed everything away to make way for new homes. This makes sense why that marker isn't to be found there today. However, further research led me to find official PDF maps from NDOT that clearly show a Marker 85 somewhere in the suburban mess around "Fortune Dr". I recently drove into this area and after spending a good half hour looking for it, I came out with no luck. All of this information and months of trying to find this marker has led me to conclude that this marker is MIA. My only 'hunch' a little while back ago led me to believe it might've been located on the 'Private Property' of the Sutro Tunnel. The Storey County Historical Society arranges a tour only once a year to the Tunnel and if the marker was moved, instead of destroyed, it might've been moved up here in a haste. However, a recent email from Dave S. changed that hunch altogether. He got in touch with the owner of the Sutro Tunnel Co. and stated that the marker is NOT at the Sutro Property. More information from the owner revealed that several years ago, the Boy Scout Troop in Dayton restored the sign at that very same turnout. A few years past by and the marker fell victim to what we jokingly call, 'Blue Sign Season'. The same fate occured with Sutro as did Olinghouse, in that, it was completely shot at! According to the owner, the Troop took it down the same time DOT started working on that section of 50... Needless to say, #85 Sutro is a prime example of the endless loop of research we're doing trying to find out the whereabouts of these missing markers. If you want to do your own hunting, it is a "Large Standard" type marker that disappeared around 2002. If you do find #85, please let me know and I will be glad to give you full credit to the finding of this marker! >> HM 86 (Not obtained) >> >> HM 87 >> *HM 90* Delamar "The Widow Maker" (1893-1909) (Lincoln Co.) Directions: According to the State Marker System, the location for this marker is: "Located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 93 and the dirt road to Delamar." Again, there is NO MARKER HERE! So far, I have been the only one to traverse into Lincoln County in sole purpose of conquering its historic markers and this battle has been my own. If you travel to where this marker used to be, there is only a litter barrel and tons of Joshua trees to greet you. The road to Delamar is clearly marked, but the marker itself is NOT SIGNED (which didn't help matters either), completely throwing me off clue as to where it could be. The history of #90 is very elusive, as not many people come this far away in search of Historic Markers. As far as I know, there was a marker here only a few years back. I stopped in Alamo on the way back after securing #57 Old Boundary, and got to chatting with the Lincoln County Sheriff. Fortunately, I got in touch with the right guy because he patrols this entire area from the Clark Line N to Panaca. He's covered this stretch of 93 in and out and told me he remembered seeing a "marker there for Delamar". He knows b/c he pulled somebody over at that very spot! As far as he knew, it was taken down because of vandals. Again, this doesn't surprise me b/c of its remote location. To confirm this, and secure my far-fetched hunch of it being moved to the Delamar townsite, I made the long 28 mile round trip to Delamar and although saw very photogenic ruins, found no marker. NDOT and the SHPO has yet to give me a call back on this one... If you want to do your own hunting, the Sheriff described the marker as "big and blue", therefore confirming it as a "Large Standard" type marker. It was last seen only about 2 years back at the road to Delamar along US 93. If you do find this marker, please let me know. This is VERY FAR AWAY for most of us here, and I will be glad to give you full credit to the finding of this marker! >> HM 91 >> HM 146 McDermitt Indian Reservation (Northern Paiute) (Humboldt Co.) Directions: According to the State Marker System, the location for this marker is: "Located on U.S. Highway 95 south of McDermitt, Nevada." When we tackled northern Humboldt at the end of August 2008, we saw no evidence of this marker EVER being here, period! This one is an enigma and to make it worse, it's so far away from most everything that even NDOT would have a hard time tracking it down. I have a few hunches as to where this marker could be and what happened to it. Since #143 Sarah Winnemucca sits on the actual reservation itself, this leads me to believe that this one may have been moved onto the reservation as well. However, after driving around on the reservation for at least half an hour, we saw no inclination of this marker at all. My only guess would be that it was purposely removed. If you follow the crude directions for this marker, "south of McDermitt", puts you at the turnoff to the reservation. More appropriately, it puts at the volunteer BLM Fire Station at the reservation's north entrance road. Following the pattern of marker being set at fire stations, the BLM may have removed this marker. This makes sense, considering that the other fire stations in Nevada that have markers in front of them are not BLM and are strictly either town/local fire stations or county fire stations, not a government fire station! Whatever the case about this marker, this one may be a tough one to track down, simply because of the lack of services around this area. The nearest NDOT maintenance station sits in Orovada, approx. 16 miles S of McDermitt. If I'm ever in that neck of the woods again, I may inquire here and might even luck out and find it sitting in the maintenance as was the case in #185. If you wanna do your own searching, the last known location of this marker was set south of McDermitt on the northbound side of 95 and like the other "140" series markers, it was a large 'Standard' type marker. Like any of the other MIA's on this list, if you find this marker, please let me know and I will be glad to give you full credit to the finding of this one! >> HM 147 >> HM 179 First Air Flight in Nevada (June 23, 1910) (Carson City) Directions: According to the State Marker System, the location for this marker is: "Located along U.S. 395, three miles north of Carson City. " This one is so far gone that it might never be back! Of all the markers to be missing, this one has been gone the longest. Strangely, nobody knows what happened to it. I drive by this location nearly everyday and know for a fact, there is NO MARKER HERE! This one could be perhaps because of off and on construction in the area around Glen Eagles Restaurant and the newly 'renovated' Golf Course. There is definite evidence of a marker being here b/c the sign is still posted on the southbound side of N. Carson Street, "HISTORICAL MARKER AHEAD, 179". Unfortunately, Carson City Sheriff knows nothing about it neither does the SHPO. I have so far been led by many people as to the whereabouts or what happened to this marker, mainly locals, and all I can conclude is that it was "lost during construction". This makes sense because construction has been going on around this area for a good 7-8 years! If you want to do your own hunting, I wish tons of luck! This one looks to be sadly like the fate of #24, in never coming back again. So far, I've traversed what seems like every street around this area, including Arrowhead Drive, College Parkway, Medical Pkwy, the residences around Ormsby Blvd, Combs Canyon and Lakeview. I even visited the CC Airport to see if it might've been moved there to no avail. The owners of Glen Eagles know nothing about it either. If you do find this marker, please let me know and I will be glad to give you full credit to the finding of this marker! >> HM 180 >> HM 181 The Washo Indians (Carson City) Directions: According to the State Marker System, the location for this marker is: "Located along U.S. Highway 50, east of Spooner Summit and west of Carson City." Here is another 'here today, gone tomorrow' type of marker, suddenly disappearing overnight. The looming question is, 'how did it disappear?' This question lingers because 181's apparent location is literally right on the edge of a cliff, right alongside busy US 50. Some people speculate it was hit by a car and fell over the cliffside! Some believe it's still there today. This speculation might have merit, considering today you'll find a complete row of rather new jersey barriers surrounding the entire turnout. Others believe it was simply stolen, but this is unlikely, due to the fact that this marker was HUGE and couldn't have been removed by one person. It's also possible NDOT themselves removed the marker and placed at another location, but so far I've been out of luck on even finding out which DOT branch is even responsible for this region. I checked with the officials at the Spooner Summit office and they have no clue either. Vandalism is unlikely, as vandals would have a tough time getting away with mischief along this heavily traveled stretch of US 50. Speculation 1 seems the best... All that's left of Marker 181. The sign here is now leaning a good 45 degrees and most likely could fall over completely in the next few months possibly, due to the very high winds that occur on this pass. Fortunately, I captured this image before that happens... There is definite evidence of that marker being here because all that's left of 181 is the sign still posted on the eastbound side of US 50, "HISTORICAL MARKER AHEAD, 181". When you make the turn onto the huge pullout (more evidence of NDOT's work), all you find is another marker here for the "Kings Canyon Fire". This is NOT AN OFFICIAL STATE HISTORIC MARKER, but rather erected by 'Clampers'. SHPO are stumped as to what happened to this marker as well! If you want to do your own hunting, I wish tons of luck! If you're daring, you could even venture down the cliffside in search of the marker, but I advise TONS OF CAUTION! If you have an accident, nobody would ever know you're down there. This one looks to be sadly like the fate of #24, in never coming back again. If you do find this marker, please let me know and like all of them, I will be glad to give you full credit to the finding of this marker! >> HM 182 >> HM 185 McCone's Foundries (Lyon Co.) Directions: According to the State Marker System, the location for this marker is: "Located along State Route 342 in Silver City, Nevada." ~ HM 185 Here ~ *HM 226* Cave Rock (Douglas Co.) Directions: According to the State Marker System, the location for this marker is: "Located at the Boat Launching Site at Lake Tahoe." Actually, there is an explanation for the disappearance of this marker, in the words of the SHPO that is. This marker was removed, "because the interpretive text is undergoing revisions." This was 3 years ago... Personally, I think the text sounded fine to me, but according to the SHPO, the text was flawed and missed a valuable piece of information in accordance to Cave Rock. In any case, the Preservation Office, or NDOT for that matter, could've just removed the plaque itself, but left the marker standing. It would've been a marker like #50 or #73 with a missing plaque, but at least for us marker hunters, it could've been there to conquer! I don't expect this one to be erected any time soon, especially now that state budget cuts have taken affect. I've included it on the manifest of Douglas' markers though, just to at least give it some due respect that at least it used to be there. Who knows. Maybe sooner than we think we might just find it standing proudly at the boat launch one day, with Tahoe's water glistening in the background. >> HM 227 >> *HM 239* Stonehouse (Humboldt Co.) Directions: According to the State Marker System, the location for this marker is: "Located on Interstate Highway 80 at the Stonehouse Interchange." Here is a marker that probably disappeared and nobody still knows about it. #239 Stonehouse is an elusive marker, set all by its lonesome somewhere in between Winnemucca and Battle Mountain on I-80. Recent trips out that way for photo hunts and Elko markers, led me to believe that this marker is indeed another MIA. After 2-3 trips past this way, I found nothing, not even a speck of evidence as to where this marker even was. After thorough web-searching, I've only seen a few photos of the old marker, confirming that I was looking at the right place. According to the photos, the marker was in great shape! As you leave the Interstate, bear a right toward the Newmont Mining Company. Right at the corner of this frontage road is where the marker stood. There is some speculation that the Mining Company removed it to prevent it from hindering their operations. However, this is bogus, considering that all mining trucks always stay well away from this marker's locale and rarely stray from the frontage road. This area around Stonehouse has a few frontage roads, one on both the west and eastbound sides of I-80. I've ventured both to no avail and even went as far north as the Idaho Power/Sierra Pacific Plant and found nothing. It's nice to see that there are exits just for Historical Markers. Unfortunately, you won't find Stonehouse anywhere today... Despite the photos, #239 most likely fell victim like most markers in rural areas to vandalism. However, it boggles me as to who would drive this far to destroy it. The only thing (and I mean the ONLY THING) around here is Newmont Mining Company. I have yet to give them a call and find out even if it's meager information, as to what happened to Stonehouse. Otherwise, I'm as lost as the next man. If you happen this way and what do to your own searching, good luck! It's very quiet out here and little will distract you from marker searching. According to the photos, this marker is a "Large Standard Type" marker. Believe me, if you find it, there's no way you can miss it. Like the others, if you find it, I will happy to give you full credit in the finding of this marker! >> HM 240 >> HM 243 Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight (Carson City) Directions: According to the State Marker System, the location for this marker is: "Located at Musser and Harbin Streets in Carson City." Although, I've already recorded this marker on this website, today's visitor will find no marker here! A recent visit shows that it's now missing in action; this is due to re-construction of the Sheriff's Station on Musser Street. I talked to the builders there upon my visit and they told me it was at a maintenance yard and would be put back up when construction is complete. However, I find this very hard to believe. More than likely, somebody will forget to re-erect it. So, if you happen through this quiet neighborhood of Carson and find this marker re-erected, please let me know so I can update this information with full credit given to you! ~ HM 243 Here ~ HM 244 Dinner Station (Elko Co.) Directions: According to the State Marker System, the location for this marker is: "Located on State Route 225, twenty-five miles north of Elko, Nevada." On our big marker conquering venture at the end of August 2008, we were excited to finally finish off the conquering of Elko County's markers. Alas, we were shot down when we found this pesky marker completely MIA! Yes, as hard as it is to believe, this marker was destroyed right alongside a relatively well traveled highway. There is only one assumption here for me to make regarding this one... #244 fell victim to the sadly typical case of, "Don't want anybody stopping at my property to view this marker" syndrome. The original Dinner Station still stands in all great beauty, but because it's privately owned, the marker technically did sit on private property. The case for this marker seems the same as it was for #185 @ McCone's Foundries. NDOT was forced to remove the marker in Silver City along SR 342 and today, sits completely unused in a maintenance station. Unfortunately, as long as Dinner Station remains privately owned, this marker will remain gone for good. It may sitting in some maintenance station or for all we know, right in the owner's storage shed! My recommendation is to erect this marker a few miles (at least 8 miles) north of Dinner Station on PUBLIC LAND. Same goes for #24 Olinghouse. However, in both of these instances, this might not stop the owners in removing it for fear that people will be curious and stop in front of the property for photo viewing. This is a sad case like many in Nevada where people are completely in tangled in their own selfish world to share our heritage with the rest of us. Well, the original Dinner Station still stands. Unfortunately, the marker for Dinner Station has up and disappeared... or destroyed? If you ever happen to be plying SR 225 north out of Elko and somehow miraculously run into this marker, please let me know so I can update this information with full credit given to you! The odds of this marker ever being erected is extremely slim and may have been destroyed altogether. Us marker hunters can only hope though right?... ~ HM 245 Here ~ HM 259 Governor's Mansion (Carson City) Directions: According to the State Marker System, the location for this marker is: "Located at 606 Mountain Street, Carson City, Nevada ." Although, I've already recorded this marker too on this website, today's visitor will find no marker here! It seems as recently as this marker went up (only 3 years ago), a recent visit shows that it's now gone! Although, I don't for sure know the answer to this one, one speculation could be for maintenance reasons. This would make sense because the fence where this plaque was posted was recently painted. Problem is, somebody forgot to put it back. I have yet to here from the SHPO about this one, because before I called on this one, they thought it was still there. Typical... So, if you happen through this quiet neighborhood of Carson and find this marker re-erected, please let me know so I can update this information with full credit given to you! The Governor refused an interview... ~ HM 259 Here ~     Nevada Historical Markers The Nevada Horoscope Journey to Nevada's Geographic Center About Me/Contact Partnered with Sierra Life Photography Copyright © Paul Sebesta.