Historical Markers of Washoe County & Reno
Location: Washoe County, South Truckee Meadows Directions: Along Callahan Ranch Road, 1.5 miles south of (Mt. Rose Hwy) SR 431
Date Conquered: 7/10/07 Nearest Intersection: Cross Creek Ln. Quick Description: A marker honoring Galena's 'dual personality'. Signed: No -- Historically, this marker was never signed. NOTES: Reno's expansion has placed this marker in a highly residential section (outskirt) of the city. Fortunately, #212 is still present and accounted for at the original spot is was erected almost a decade ago. As locals moved into the area, little regard was taken to the marker's surroundings. Unfortunately due to expansion over the years, #212 now sits right in front of somebody's property. What appears to be a large "pullout" directly in front of the marker is actually somebody's driveway. Please refrain from using the pullout directly in front of the marker! Instead, use the paved parking area for Galena Creek Park just a few yards north of the creek and walk over the bridge. A great spot to relocate this marker would be directly across the street at the parking area to Galena Creek Park (run by Washoe County Parks.) Years ago, before the housing boom hit Reno, this was an ideal spot for #212. The actual townsite of Galena (now covered up by suburbia) sat approximately 1/4 mile south of this location. Although the owner does not mind visitors to the marker, #212 can be regarded as one of my TOP TEN ENDANGERED MARKERS in the state due to its close proximity to somebody's home. Full Description: Exact description as reads ... Galena had a dual personality. It was developed in 1860 as a mining property by R.S. and Andrew Hatch. The Hatch brothers quartz mill and smelter were among the earliest erected on this side of the Sierras. The gold float from the local mines contained a heavy admixture of lead sulphide, "galena," which caused the mining operations to be non-paying, but the mills continued to operate, processing ores from the Comstock mines. The severe winter of 1864-65 interrupted freighting to Virginia City, and the ensuing mining depression forced the Galena mills to close. The town also developed into an important lumbering center. Eleven sawmills were operating by 1863, and Galena boasted stores, lodging houses, a justice court, a school which doubled as a community hall, saloons, and dozens of homes. After two disastrous fires in 1865 and 1867, Galena was abandoned. Notice the bridge and trees in the center b.g. This is Galena Creek, a year-round stream within a few yards of this marker. #212 is truly a lonely marker well off Reno's beaten path. #212 was one of twenty markers to get a nice refresher in May 2010. Notice the difference in paint color between these images and the ones above. Notice the road climbing up the hill in the background. This road leads up to all that's left of old Galena: a set of mine dumps.
NOTES: Reno's expansion has placed this marker in a highly residential section (outskirt) of the city. Fortunately, #212 is still present and accounted for at the original spot is was erected almost a decade ago. As locals moved into the area, little regard was taken to the marker's surroundings. Unfortunately due to expansion over the years, #212 now sits right in front of somebody's property. What appears to be a large "pullout" directly in front of the marker is actually somebody's driveway. Please refrain from using the pullout directly in front of the marker! Instead, use the paved parking area for Galena Creek Park just a few yards north of the creek and walk over the bridge. A great spot to relocate this marker would be directly across the street at the parking area to Galena Creek Park (run by Washoe County Parks.) Years ago, before the housing boom hit Reno, this was an ideal spot for #212. The actual townsite of Galena (now covered up by suburbia) sat approximately 1/4 mile south of this location. Although the owner does not mind visitors to the marker, #212 can be regarded as one of my TOP TEN ENDANGERED MARKERS in the state due to its close proximity to somebody's home. Full Description: Exact description as reads ... Galena had a dual personality. It was developed in 1860 as a mining property by R.S. and Andrew Hatch. The Hatch brothers quartz mill and smelter were among the earliest erected on this side of the Sierras. The gold float from the local mines contained a heavy admixture of lead sulphide, "galena," which caused the mining operations to be non-paying, but the mills continued to operate, processing ores from the Comstock mines. The severe winter of 1864-65 interrupted freighting to Virginia City, and the ensuing mining depression forced the Galena mills to close. The town also developed into an important lumbering center. Eleven sawmills were operating by 1863, and Galena boasted stores, lodging houses, a justice court, a school which doubled as a community hall, saloons, and dozens of homes. After two disastrous fires in 1865 and 1867, Galena was abandoned. Notice the bridge and trees in the center b.g. This is Galena Creek, a year-round stream within a few yards of this marker. #212 is truly a lonely marker well off Reno's beaten path. #212 was one of twenty markers to get a nice refresher in May 2010. Notice the difference in paint color between these images and the ones above. Notice the road climbing up the hill in the background. This road leads up to all that's left of old Galena: a set of mine dumps.
Full Description: Exact description as reads ... Galena had a dual personality. It was developed in 1860 as a mining property by R.S. and Andrew Hatch. The Hatch brothers quartz mill and smelter were among the earliest erected on this side of the Sierras. The gold float from the local mines contained a heavy admixture of lead sulphide, "galena," which caused the mining operations to be non-paying, but the mills continued to operate, processing ores from the Comstock mines. The severe winter of 1864-65 interrupted freighting to Virginia City, and the ensuing mining depression forced the Galena mills to close. The town also developed into an important lumbering center. Eleven sawmills were operating by 1863, and Galena boasted stores, lodging houses, a justice court, a school which doubled as a community hall, saloons, and dozens of homes. After two disastrous fires in 1865 and 1867, Galena was abandoned. Notice the bridge and trees in the center b.g. This is Galena Creek, a year-round stream within a few yards of this marker. #212 is truly a lonely marker well off Reno's beaten path. #212 was one of twenty markers to get a nice refresher in May 2010. Notice the difference in paint color between these images and the ones above. Notice the road climbing up the hill in the background. This road leads up to all that's left of old Galena: a set of mine dumps.
Galena had a dual personality. It was developed in 1860 as a mining property by R.S. and Andrew Hatch. The Hatch brothers quartz mill and smelter were among the earliest erected on this side of the Sierras. The gold float from the local mines contained a heavy admixture of lead sulphide, "galena," which caused the mining operations to be non-paying, but the mills continued to operate, processing ores from the Comstock mines. The severe winter of 1864-65 interrupted freighting to Virginia City, and the ensuing mining depression forced the Galena mills to close. The town also developed into an important lumbering center. Eleven sawmills were operating by 1863, and Galena boasted stores, lodging houses, a justice court, a school which doubled as a community hall, saloons, and dozens of homes. After two disastrous fires in 1865 and 1867, Galena was abandoned. Notice the bridge and trees in the center b.g. This is Galena Creek, a year-round stream within a few yards of this marker. #212 is truly a lonely marker well off Reno's beaten path. #212 was one of twenty markers to get a nice refresher in May 2010. Notice the difference in paint color between these images and the ones above. Notice the road climbing up the hill in the background. This road leads up to all that's left of old Galena: a set of mine dumps.
The town also developed into an important lumbering center. Eleven sawmills were operating by 1863, and Galena boasted stores, lodging houses, a justice court, a school which doubled as a community hall, saloons, and dozens of homes. After two disastrous fires in 1865 and 1867, Galena was abandoned.
#212 was one of twenty markers to get a nice refresher in May 2010. Notice the difference in paint color between these images and the ones above. Notice the road climbing up the hill in the background. This road leads up to all that's left of old Galena: a set of mine dumps.
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