Egan Canyon Station in White Pine County Nevada
EGAN
& EGAN CANYON - (1864-1893)
5 miles southwest of Cherry Creek. Named after Major Howard Egan
who operated a mail service through here in the 1850's.
The
Pony Express station here was located in a meadow at the west end of
the canyon. The Overland Mail Company had a station in the
1860's until 1869 when the Central Pacific Railroad was completed.
In 1863, several California volunteer
soldiers discovered gold veins. By fall, the Egan Mining District was
formed, becoming the first mining district in eastern Nevada. The
Gilligan Mine built a five-stamp mill in 1864 at the east entrance of the
canyon. In 1865 a second mining company erected a ten-stamp mill.
The two companies merged in 1865 and formed the Social & Steptoe
Mining Company and produced $80,000 before closing in 1868.
In 1865, Egan contained stores, a
blacksmith shop, post office, a school and several houses. Mining
ceased in 1868 until a 1873 - 1876 revival in Cherry Creek allowed
bullion shipments to be processed again. In 1880 to 1882, the camp
again awoke from the Cherry Creek mines.
Mining was pretty much finished in the
area by 1883 and died for good in 1893 when silver was demonetized. Road
building and mining operations have almost obliterated the site. A cemetery
remains.
A rumor exists that the three graves are
of soldiers killed fighting the Indians in the 1860's or 1870's, but
there is no proof of that rumor.
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