Cherry Creek

Cherry Creek outlasted most of its rivals — at its height the largest town in White Pine County, around six thousand people, with gold and silver coming steadily from 1872 into the 1880s and a revival that ran past 1900. Five miles south, Egan Canyon held one of Nevada's oldest gold mines and a station that served, in turn, the overland mail, the Pony Express, and the Overland Stage. Until the railroad reached this country in 1906, everything moved by wagon from Toano and Wells. Cherry Creek never quite emptied; a few people still live there.

What the plaque says

Here, at one time, was the largest town in White Pine County. Part of the Cherry Creek Mining District, Cherry Creek’s years of largest gold and silver production were between 1872 and 1883. At the peak of its prosperity, the town had an estimated population of 6,000. Five miles south of here is Egan Canyon, where one of the oldest gold mines in Nevada was located. A stage station was located by Major Howard Egan in 1859 for Woodward and Chorpenning’s California Mail Co. In 1860, it was used by the Pony Express as a change station, and from 1861 to 1869 it was an Overland Stage station. In 1864, a five-stamp mill, the first such in eastern Nevada, and a small mining camp were constructed. Most of the early activity had ceased by 1883, but in 1897 there was a great revival in mining activity which lasted into the early 1900’s. During this period, prior to the completion of the Nevada Northern Railroad in 1906, freight and passenger traffic was via long strings of massive freight wagons and stagecoaches from Toano and Wells. In 1933, the old mine was reopened and a new camp was built. Production from the Egan mine over the years has been approximately $3,000,000.

Where it stands

More markers nearby

• Schellbourne — 11 mi