Fort Churchill (Lyon County, Nevada)

 

After running a difficult 5k in the hills of Virginia City, I decided to do a little exploring and inspired by the rich pioneer history of that area, I decided to drive a few miles south east to the ruins of Fort Churchill. Construction of the fort was started in 1860 in response to escalating violence between the local settlers and the Native Paiutes and Bannocks. It was hoped the fort would afford some level of protection for settlers passing through the region.  A quick read of the historical records seems to indicate the violent acts were initiated when two Paiute girls were kidnapped and raped by setters in the area. It quickly escalated into has come to be known as Pyramid Lake War.

The ruins of the Civil War Era fort have been preserved in a state of arrested decay as a state historical park. After paying the entrance fee, I pull into parking area and begin walking around the Ruins Loop, which is a mile-ish long trail that essentially circles the boundary of what would have been the fortified area of the facility. 

The crumbling remains of several buildings appear to be made of a type of sandstone brick, yellow in color and likely made from the materials at hand. In total, there are about ten or so buildings still standing in some form. For some that means a couple of walls, while for others, the structures are largely in tact minus the roofing material. Among the structures, signs indicate some were used as barracks and mess halls, while others served as officer quarters and supply depots. 

Illustration of the fort as it appeared in 1862

I continue around to the far side of the area and finally return to the jeep. It's been an interesting visit into the history of the region. For anyone in the area, I would suggest taking a few minutes out of your travels to explore the ruins.