Wadsworth
Washoe County, Washoe County, Nevada
Marker Inscription
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 roundhouse, shop, and other buildings were completed there. A fire on April 15, 1884, fanned by heavy wind, destroyed the remaining railroad buildings as well as the town. Damage exceeded $100,000. Lack of adequate water contributed to the extensive damage. After another fire in 1902, the railroad planned to move to a new site. In 1904, division facilities moved west to an entirely new location, which became Sparks, Nevada.
Erected by Nevada State Historic Preservation Office
The Story
From 1868 to 1884 this site held the Central Pacific's Truckee Wadsworth Division, a major railroad hub on the transcontinental line. A new roundhouse and shops were built across the river by 1883, but a wind-driven fire on April 15, 1884, destroyed the remaining buildings and much of the town, causing over $100,000 in damage worsened by scarce water. After a second fire in 1902, the railroad relocated its division facilities in 1904 to an entirely new site that became Sparks, Nevada.
Why it matters
Wadsworth's fiery decline and the birth of Sparks illustrate how railroads could pick up an entire town and move it at will across the Western landscape.
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Related events
- · Wadsworth fire, April 15, 1884
Themes & tags
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