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 Wadsworth
N 39° 37.856 W 119° 16.751
11S E 304396 N 4389277
This Historical Marker is located on Nevada Highway 427 on the west end of Wadsworth, Nevada, situated just north of I-80 in Washoe County.
Waymark Code: WMK981
Location: Nevada, United States
Date Posted: 03/03/2014
Views: 4
"Wadsworth is a census-designated place (CDP) in Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The population was 834 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town was named for General James S. Wadsworth, a Civil War general killed at the battle of the Wilderness in 1864. It was given this name by Leland Stanford of the Central Pacific Railroad as a favor to General Irvin McDowell, whom Wadsworth had served under during the Civil War." SOURCE
"There were two reasons for the existence of Wadsworth. One was the need for travelers from the east going to the gold fields of California to have a place to rest before climbing the High Sierra and then into California. The spot chosen for this need never developed into a town of any size until the Central Pacific Railroad came and made it into the town of Wadsworth. As a rail center for the Central Pacific is the second reason why the town exists. The location was an important one for the railroad. From this point eastward across the desert there would be no more water and fuel for the engines. Wadsworth then became a supply depot for the railroad. Located on the banks of the Truckee River, the town grew with hotels, shops, gambling houses and, of course, the ever-present saloons." SOURCE
On the east end of town is an historical marker that reads:
WADSWORTH
FROM 1868 UNTIL 1884, THE CENTRAL PACIFIC'S TRUCKEE WADSWORTH
DIVISION WAS LOCATED ON THIS SITE. IN 1882, WORK WAS STARTED
ON A NEW SITE ACROSS THE RIVER, AND BY 1883, A NEW ROUND HOUSE,
SHOP, ETC. WERE COMPLETED THERE. A FIRE ON APRIL 15, 1884, FANNED
BY HEAVY WIND, DESTROYED THE REMAINING RAILROAD BUILDINGS AT
THIS LOCATION, AS WELL AS THE TOWN. DAMAGE EXCEEDED $100,000.
LACK OF AN ADEQUATE WATER SUPPLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE EXTENSIVE
DAMAGE. ANOTHER FIRE IN 1902 STIMULATED THE PLAN TO MOVE TO
A NEW SITE. IN 1904, DIVISION FACILITIES IN THE TOWN WERE MOVED
TO AN ENTIRELY NEW LOCATION, WHICH BECAME SPARKS, NEVADA.
STATE HISTORICAL MARKER NO. 68
NEVADA STATE PARK SYSTEM
SNOWSHOE THOMPSON CHAPTER NO. 1827 E. CLAMPUS VITUS
Rating: Not listed
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