Marker Supers... Best of the Best!

So what happens after visiting all of Nevada's 267 historic markers? We find out which ones are best of the best! This is my "Supers" Page, a list of select historic markers that are most note-worthy and stand out among the rest. I think you'll find this page fun, and most of all, informative! We thought long and hard about which markers made the cut and the results, well... we hope you find them exactly, well, "super!" You'll also find the same superlatives mentioned within the main marker page where applicable. On your own marker hunting expedition, be sure to pay extra kudos to these special superlatives!

  • Lowest Elevation -- #188 [CL]
    #188, Von Schmidt State Boundary Monument, sits at only 402 feet above sea level, making it the lowest marker in Nevada. However, this marker technically sits in California making this claim to fame debatable. If we're counting markers WITHIN Nevada, then, this superlative goes to MIA #140, OST, with an elevation of 2,210 feet.

  • Westernmost -- #191 [WA]
    #191, Verdi is officially the westernmost marker in Nevada, sitting just 2 miles east of the California state line.
RUNNERS UP!
  1. #128, The Great Train Robbery [WA], also in Verdi. This one sits only 1/2 mile E of #191.
  2. #221, Sand Harbor [WA], along the shore of Lake Tahoe, is another debatable superlative. Although the marker only sits 2 miles west of the CA state line, the only way to get to the state line from the marker is via boat or plane (the state line is in the middle of Lake Tahoe.)
  3. #246, The Great Incline of the Sierra Nevada [WA], near Incline Village, sits 4 miles E of the CA state line.

  • Easternmost -- #56  [CL]
    #56, Virgin Valley, in Mesquite, is officially the easternmost marker in Nevada, sitting just 1 mile west of the Arizona state line.
RUNNERS UP!
  1. #31, Old Spanish Trail [CL], also in Mesquite, lies just 100 feet W of #56!
  2. #6, El Dorado Canyon [CL], in Nelson, lies just 5 miles W of the Colorado River, the boundary between Arizona and Nevada.
  3. #46, Pilot Peak [EL], near Wendover along Interstate 80, lies just 10 miles W of the Utah state line along Interstate 80.

RUNNERS UP!
  1. #251, Diamondfield Jack Davis [EL], in Jackpot, lies just 3/4 mile S of the Idaho state line.
  2. #143, Sarah Winnemucca Hopkins [HU], near McDermitt, sits on the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation. Although there is no direct road access to the state line, the marker sits approx. 2 miles S of Oregon.
  3. #144, Fort McDermitt [HU], near McDermitt, sits only 3 miles south of the Oregon state line.

  • Southernmost -- #188  [CL]
    #188, Von Schmidt State Boundary Monument is officially the southernmost marker in Nevada, sitting 1 mile south of the Nevada state line in California. However, #188 is a debatable superlative, because the marker technically resides outside of Nevada.
RUNNERS UP!
  1. MIA #140, Old Spanish Trail [CL] is the declared winner if we were recording markers solely WITHIN Nevada. Otherwise, the debatable winner for "southernmost marker" is #188, Von Schmidt State Boundary Monument.
  2. #104, The Camel Corps [CL], near Laughlin lies 3 miles N of the California state line along SR 163.
  3. MIA #116, Searchlight [CL] resides 18 miles N of the California state line.

  • Most centrally located -- #137  [LA]
    #137, Hickison Summit wins this distinction hands-down. No other markers come closer to being literally, in the middle of the state. Most of you may be wondering how I found a marker to be "centrally located" in irregularly-shaped Nevada. Visit my Journey to Nevada's Geographical Center to see the reasons and story behind it. #137 is the closest marker to Nevada's geographic center, located about 18 miles due NE of the Center, straddling the Lander/Eureka line.

  • Most Remote -- #162 [HU]
    #162, Camp McGarry near Soldier Meadows Guest Ranch, wins the distinction of being Nevada's most remote historic marker. Deciding this distinction was difficult, because anybody can declare any of Nevada's rural markers as 'remote.' However, declaring a single marker as "the most remote in the entire state", is like walking onto a slippery slope. Hunters, please understand my reasoning behind this declaration. Many of you Jarbidge fans may be reeling in disappointment. I assure you, it wasn't intentional. "The most remote" marker distinction was solely based on ADT (average daily traffic) of the Soldier Meadows Road and the surrounding area. Although #162 and the Jarbidge markers are equally remote in terms of distance from a major community, the Jarbidge markers are located in a town with a year-round population. In comparison, the only thing you'll find near #162 is... a ranch. This doesn't include a distance of 62 miles from the nearest town (Gerlach)! #162 sits alongside a county-maintained dirt road (Soldier Meadows Road) adjacent to the Soldier Meadows Guest Ranch at mile 52 from Gerlach. The Soldier Meadows Ranch serves as the ONLY form of services in the surrounding area, including the Summit Lake Indian Reservation. Unlike Jarbidge, neither Summit Lake nor Soldier Meadows can be defined as "towns", "villages", or even "outposts." Jim and his family (the owners of the Ranch) take good care of the marker and promise to keep it nice looking for future marker hunters! See them if you're planning your visit.
RUNNERS UP!
  1. #149, High Rock Canyon [WA] sits all by its lonesome-self along CR 34, in extreme northern Washoe County. For obvious reasons, locals also call "the northwest corner", "the forgotten corner.", a place where the human population averages less than .01 percent. You'll find this marker between Vya (ghost town) and Gerlach (41 miles to the south), a location right in the middle of all that beautiful open space. The nearest services heading north from #149 are Cedarville, California, 68 miles in Alkali Valley. Choosing between this one and #162 was painfully close!
  2. The Jarbidge Markers (#69 & 153) [EL] are paired for 3rd place. Although these are two individual markers, they've unofficially been categorized as one by the SHPO and almost all marker hunters. Why are they 3rd place? The Jarbidge markers reside within Jarbidge, Nevada, and although its a tiny hamlet (population 18-84, depending on the season), it is a town with services. Neither #69 nor 153 wins this slot because both are located in Jarbidge. To find Nevada's most remote town, head north 102 miles north of Elko. Jarbidge can only be accessed via rough dirt roads into the Jarbidge Mountains.
  3. #159, Ione [NY] finishes off at 4th place, or 3rd place runner-up. Ione, declared a living ghost town by some, is located 20 miles E of Gabbs; in his book, The Complete Nevada Traveler, David Toll best described Ione as "a still-beating heart." Ione can be accessed only by way of county-maintained dirt roads; CR 21 is the preferred route, a wide dirt path that juts north from Berlin Ichthyosaur S.P., over the Monitor Range, into the Reese River Valley to US 50 near Austin. Ione is well deserving of this title, considering it used to be Nevada's most remote town even in it's heyday!

  • Hardest to Spot -- #265 [WA]
    #265, Governor Emmet Derby Boyle wins this designation. Some people may find it ironic that the "hardest to spot" marker lies within urban Reno! All I can say is... you try locating a single grave in a cemetery without a map, signs or references! #265 blends in with the headstones in Mountain View Cemetery so perfectly, that without a second set of eyes, you could be in real trouble!
TOP TEN, HARDEST TO SPOT ("Visibility")!
(MOST to LEAST)
  1. #265, Governor Emmet Derby Boyle [WA]
  2. #193, Historic Flume & Lumber Yard [CC]
  3. #81, Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Tree [WA]
  4. #238, Huffakers [WA]
  5. #225, Spooner Area (Logging and Lumber Period: 1868-1895) [DO]
  6. #23, Humboldt House [PE]
  7. #34, Old Spanish Trail (1829-1850) [CL]
  8. #77, Dat-So-La-Lee [CC]
  9. #130, Minden [DO]
  10. #214, Rafael Rivera [CL]

  • Marker CLOSEST to a county line -- #211  [WA]
    #211, Old Geiger Grade (In Canyon Below) wears the ribbon for being the marker closest to a county line. How close are we talking? #211 is within one foot of the Storey County line! (Yes, I tested this fact using a tape measure. How lame am I?) Find this marker along SR 341 at a turnout just north of Virginia Highlands. Here's the interesting fact: although the turnout sits fully within Storey County, the marker itself barely happens to scrape (touch into) Washoe County.
RUNNERS UP!
  1. #213, Lakeview [CC] wins the spot for second place. This marker sits within 300 feet of touching Washoe County.
  2. #223, Devil's Gate [LY], barely makes 3rd place behind #213; the Storey County line is just shy of 350 feet from this marker.
  3. MIA #181, The Washo Indians [CC] is another oddball that happens to slip over into another county. This one lies within 450 feet of the Douglas line along Spooner Grade.

-- UPDATE --

~ Finally after 4 years of waiting, the new Carson Freeway was opened as of Sept 24, 2009. This new freeway allows thru-traffic away from Carson's downtown center via US 395 at Fairview Drive. NDOT not only re-routed US 395's course onto the freeway, but re-routed US 50 onto the concrete as well. Before the freeway, US 50's course followed William Street, then Carson Street, then southbound through Carson's downtown center. Because of NDOT's re-routing, US 50 lost a handful of markers in the process! Listed below are the markers that were lost due to this re-routing. The number in blue was the marker count BEFORE the freeway, while the number in black lists the current number. All of the markers through Carson's downtown center now fully belong to SR 529 and #134 belongs to SR 530. The good news is, US 50 still holds the crown as the highway with the most markers in Nevada.

  1. #25, Nevada's Capitol
  2. #44, Carson City
  3. #75, Government Building
  4. #134, Trans-Sierran Pioneer Flight
  5. #193, Historic Flume & Lumber Yard
  6. #194, Gardner's Ranch
  7. #196, U.S. Mint of Carson City

  • Highway with the Most Markers -- US 50
    Before the freeway, US 50 had a total of 41 markers along it's route. Now as of Sept 24, 2009, US 50 has 34 markers, still crowning it with the most markers of any highway in Nevada! If you count the MIAs, that makes 36.

  • State Route with the Most Markers -- SR 529 [CC]
    With 6 markers along it's route, SR 529 (Carson Street) has the most markers of any state highway in Nevada.If you count MIA #179, that makes 7.

  • County with the Most Markers -- Washoe
    With 42 markers, Washoe County leads Nevada with the most historic markers.

  • County with the Least Markers -- Pershing & Mineral
    With only 6 markers, Pershing and Mineral Counties are tied with the least historic markers in Nevada. Ironically, these counties combined are well deserving of at least a dozen more markers.

  • County seat with the Most Markers -- Reno [WA]
    Although Carson City has 29 markers, Carson is thrown out because it doesn't really qualify as a county seat-- declared a municipality in 1984. With 17 markers, I decided to crown Reno as the county seat with the most historic markers.

  • County seat with the Least Markers -- Yerington [LY]
    No this one isn't a joke. Yerington wins this one by having 0 historic markers! This is surprising, considering Lyon County is chock full of history. Off the top of my head, I can name 3 places in Yerington alone that are worthy of a state marker.

  • # of markers within a National/State/County or City park -- 22
    Nearly 16% of Nevada's historic markers are located within municipal parks. These include any boundaries listed as a 'park' throughout Nevada. See the list below!
Markers within parks

  • # of markers at cemeteries -- 6
    Less than 4% of Nevada's historic markers are located at or within cemeteries. See the list below!
Markers within cemeteries

  • # of markers on Indian Reservation land -- 12
    About 10% of Nevada's historic markers are located at or within Indian Reservations. When you do visit these markers, please be respectful. See the list below!
Markers within Indian Reservation Land

  • # of markers located at rest areas -- 18
    Defining a rest stop in Nevada is a little difficult. To Nevadans, any pullout along the highway can be defined as a rest stop, or ideal places to 'car camp' can be any dirt path off the main highway. But, NDOT has official standards what should or shouldn't classify as a true "rest area". Any way you look at it, a very small percentage of Nevada's historic markers are located at or in these rest stop/areas. To double check these stats, I personally contacted NDOT for every one of these locations and all NDOT branch offices confirmed these as official rest areas. "To each his own", I say.
Markers within rest areas
  • #11, Eureka [EU]
    (Easily defined by the wide turnout for motorhome/trailer parking)
  • #13, The Comstock Lode [ST]
    (This large pullout is in fact a true rest area, as accented by a few picnic tables.)
  • #22, Humboldt House [HU]
    (Button Point Rest Area, a heavily used rest area along Interstate 80)
  • #26, Forty Mile Desert [CH]
    (Trinity Rest Area, well used along Interstate 80/US 95)
  • #42, Big Smoky Valley [NY]
    (It may not look like much, but this one is a quiet rest stop complete with two bathrooms and lots of shade trees!)
  • #50, Carlin Canyon [EL]
    (This one also counts as being adjacent to water. Although out of commission, this one was a rest stop along Old US 40. It has nice shade canopies complete with picnic tables. Today, it makes an ideal spot for car camping!)
  • #51, Schellbourne [WP]
    (A more primitive rest area. Just a large dirt pullout along US 93 with one picnic table.)
  • #57, Old Boundary [LN]
    (Pathetic... this one is technically a rest area, as defined by its rickety picnic table.)
  • #60, Hawthorne [MI]
    (This one feels more like a city park! It has everything, including grass, restrooms, picnic tables, a playground and dog facility.)
  • #84, Jedediah "Strong" Smith [WP]
    (A lightly used, but fully maintained rest area with all amenities)
  • #101, Millers [ES]
    (Millers Rest Area, a heavily used rest area along US 6/95)
  • #147, A Home of Early Man [CH]
    (Trinity Rest Area, a well used rest area along Interstate 80/US 95)
  • #164, Button Point [HU]
    (Button Point Rest Area, a heavily used rest area along Interstate 80)
  • #167, Valmy [HU]
    (Valmy Rest Area, a heavily used rest area along Interstate 80)
  • #187, The Cattle Industry [EU]
    (Beowawe Rest Area, a heavily used rest area along Interstate 80)
  • #193, Historic Flume & Lumber Yard [CC]
    (I had to call to confirm this one. Although it may not look like it, this is by NDOT standards, defined as a rest stop. Now Carson has pretty much converted to a small dog park.)
  • #255, Wilson Canyon [LY]
    (This one also counts as being adjacent to water. Another unlikely rest stop, this one only has a single picnic table and is probably used more by anglers to access the West Walker than what it's meant for.)
  • #260, Contact [EL]
    (Contact Rest Area, defined only by a narrow strip of dirt lined by shade trees. That's pretty much it!)

  • # of markers adjacent to water -- 22
    In Nevada, water IS gold, a precious source that usually remains out of sight or off limits in rural areas. For this reason, I decided to honor the following markers that lie adjacent to this precious resource. In other states, such markers wouldn't be anything special, but here in Nevada, where there's water... THERE'S WATER! The following markers lie ADJACENT to water, meaning they sit perched alongside a shoreline or stream, or have outstanding views of water. (This does not mean dry/ephemerial lakes.)
Markers adjacent to water
  • #4, Junction House [WA]
    (Okay, so it's man-made water! The Atlantis Casino fountain sits just yards away.)
  • #16, Mineral County [MI]
    (A scenic marker!... Right above the shoreline of Walker Lake. The shoreline sits just walking distance away, if you don't mind a downhill climb. What a view!)
  • #18, Pyramid Lake [WA]
    (Okay, so this one sits a few miles away from the shoreline. The view of Pyramid Lake alone makes it worthy of this category.)
  • #37, Powell of the Colorado [CL]
    (This one is also the only historic marker located within a National Park. Splendid view of Lake Mead, only a mile away in the distance.)
  • #43, Derby Diversion Dam [WA]
    (The Truckee River, although out of view from the marker's perspective, sits five walking minutes away.)
  • #50, Carlin Canyon [EL]
    (This one also counts as being in a rest area. Just walk across the road and the Humboldt River awaits your arrival.)
  • #62, Truckee River (West) [WA]
    (A nice view of the Truckee River. A privately owned section of stream at Mogul.)
  • #63, Truckee River (East) [WA]
    (A nice view of the Truckee River. A privately owned section of stream at Patrick.)
  • #88, Sparks [WA]
    (This one also counts as being in a park. Yeah, it's another man-made water source, the Deer Park Public Swimming Pool. Make five steps and you're in the water)
  • #120, Walley's Hot Springs [DO]
    (Temperate warm hot springs are directly behind this marker. You can touch them... if you book a few hours!)
  • #123, Cradlebaugh Bridge [DO]
    (A scenic marker! The Carson River sits within yards of this marker.)
  • #141, Old Spanish Trail (Armijo's Route) [CL]
    (This one was debatable, because you can only see Lake Mead at a certain angle.)
  • #148, Two Battles of Pyramid Lake [WA]
    (This one also counts as being on Indian Reservation Land. This one overlooks the extreme lower Truckee River. After a few years of water issues, water now flows all the way to Pyramid Lake, making this section of stream starkly beautiful. If you'd like to access the river, you can only do so by purchasing a day use permit at either Wadsworth, Nixon or Sutcliffe.)
  • #192, Buckland's Station [LY]
    (This one also counts as being within a state park. Immediately adjacent to the lower Carson River.)
  • #212, Galena [WA]
    (This one sits almost on the bank of Galena Creek, just a few steps away.)
  • #215, Lahontan Dam [CH]
    (Small views of Lahontan Reservoir are found in the immediate background.)
  • #221, Sand Harbor [WA]
    (This one is about as close to Lake Tahoe as a marker can get, literally. It sits right across the boat ramp at Sand Harbor. Make about fifteen steps and you're ankle deep in water.)
  • #226, Cave Rock [DO]
    (Currently MIA)
    (This one used to sit right at the boat launch at Cave Rock, ten steps away from Tahoe's clear water.)
  • #245, Frederick DeLongchamps... [WA]
    (A highly debatable one, considering it's located in downtown Reno. The Truckee River, although out of view from the marker's perspective, sits about a hundred steps to the north.)
  • #247, Site of Nevada's First Public Library [WA]
    (A highly debatable one, considering it's located in downtown Reno. The Truckee River, although out of view from the marker's perspective, sits about a hundred steps to the north.)
  • #255, Wilson Canyon [LY]
    (This one also counts as being in a rest area. Make only fifteen steps and you're the icy waters of the West Walker River. Don't forget your fly rod!)
  • #267, Galena Creek Fish Hatchery [WA]
    (This one was debatable, because you can only see Marilyn's Pond at a certain angle. Nonetheless, if you walk a few yards onward, you'll be stepping in the icy waters of Galena Creek, or touch the waters of the Marilyn's Pond.)

   

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