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Double Springs

Douglas County, Douglas County, Nevada

Marker Inscription

Double Springs. Double Springs, also known as Round Tent Ranch or Spragues, was a station on the road through the south end of the Pine Nut Mountains located at a pair of nearby springs.  The road provided access between Carson and Walker valleys, both ranching and dairy regions in western Nevada, Double Springs also saw many travelers on their way to Esmeralda County.  At one time, a toll road ran from this area west to the Kingsbury Road that still connects to Lake Tahoe.About four miles north along the highway is the former location of Mammoth Ledge, also known as Carter’s Station.  That site served as the post office for the Eagle Mining District, and the polling place in 1861 of the Mammoth Precinct of Douglas County.  Stations like these provided water, supplies, and rest for travelers prior to the popularization of the automobile.

Erected by Carson Valley Historical Society

The Story

Known also as Round Tent Ranch, Double Springs was a station at a pair of springs on the road threading the south end of the Pine Nut Mountains. It served travelers moving between the ranching and dairy country of Carson and Walker valleys and those bound for the Esmeralda mines, and a toll road once connected the area west to the Kingsbury Road toward Lake Tahoe. Nearby stood Carter's Station, which held the post office and 1861 polling place for the local mining precinct.

Why it matters

Way stations like Double Springs were the connective tissue of frontier Nevada, tying scattered ranches, mines, and valleys into a working network before the automobile rendered them unnecessary.

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Themes & tags

TransportationWestward ExpansionFrontier HistoryMining HistoryLandmark

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