Old Schellbourne Station
by Robert Bales
Title
Old Schellbourne Station
Artist
Robert Bales
Medium
Photograph - Photo
Description
This is another presentation of the same old truck that I have been taking for many years at the old pony express station in Nevada. You may want to go back and see the changes over the years.
Every time I go by the Schellbourne Station a little distance from Eli, Nevada I need to stop and take a look at this old truck. Each year it seems like it becomes a little more rustic along with the old buildings. The first time I found it a small winch was on the bed, but now you can see it is gone.
Schellbourne was once a Pony Express Station which grew into a mining town of 300. Today it is a very well preserved ghost town on a private ranch.
Schellbourne became a mining camp in 1871 but only after the Schell Creek Station that served both the Pony Express and the Overland Stage both ceased operations thereby eliminating the need for the Schell Creek station. By fall of 1872, Schellbourne had a population of about 100. A townsite was laid out that included five saloons, a Wells-Fargo office, two blacksmith shops, three stores, two restaurants, two lodging houses, and two law firms. During the summer of 1872, the Schellbourne boom reached its peak. Close to 400 residents were crowded onto the flatlands around the old Pony Express station. Schellbournes future looked rosy until rich strikes were made at Cherry Creek, directly across Steptoe Valley. This stifled the Schellbourne boom and drained most of its residents. By 1881, Schellbourne still had a population of 85, most of whom were staying in hopes of a revival of the mines. Unfortunately for the town, the early 1880s ended all serious mining activity forcing virtually all the businesses to leave town. Schellbourne has enjoyed a quiet and serene existence for more than a hundred years. While never abandoned, the town has not had more than 25 residents since the early 1900s. Schellbourne is a must see for the ghost town enthusiast.
Uploaded
April 21st, 2016
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Viewed 998 Times - Last Visitor from Byram, MS on 03/24/2024 at 7:17 AM
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Comments (16)
Debra and Dave Vanderlaan
That old truck makes the scene Robert! Congrats on your Feature in Barns Big and Small. We also added our like. Celebrate life, Debra and Dave
Beverly Guilliams
Bob: Beautiful Capture and Find..........also love the tones...........v./f./tweet
Robert Bales replied:
Thannks Beverly for the wonderful comments and so glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks for the VFTw!!
Keshava Shukla
So beautiful scene, perfect shot! LF shared this one on Twitter and Fb
Robert Bales replied:
Thanks so much for the sharing and the great promotions along with the nice comments!!