Submitted by scott on Tue, 07/16/2013 - 11:20

WILLIAMS STATION 

Several sources identify Williams Station as a Pony Express stop.  Roy Bloss also lists the station as Honey Lake Smith's.  According to one source, J. 0. Williams and his two brothers managed station operations until May 7, 1860, when Indians killed J. O.'s brothers and three other men. These deaths initiated the Pyramid Lake Indian War.  The exact location of this early station has not been determined.  http://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/poex/hrs/hrs8a.htm#150 

The point originally plotted is half way between Carson Sink and the reported location for Hooten Wells Station (39.281700134277 -118.90571594238) 

"Williams Station was a combination stage station, general store, and saloon. It was one room, situated on the north-west bank of the Carson River. Three brothers from Maine, James O. Williams (the oldest) and his two younger brothers - Oscar Williams and David Williams. 

The station was attacked and burned by Indians in May of 1860. After a considerable amount of torment from white settlers, some members of the Paiute Tribe decided they had had just about enough, and raided Williams Station, killing several. The result was the Paiute Indian War. A militia force was sent to teach the aborigines a lesson, but instead were lured into an ambush north of Nixon where 46 of their number were killed. Before it was all over, seven stations had been burned and employees killed. 

Honey Lake Smith rebuilt and ran the station afterwards."  http://www.forgottennevada.org/sites/williams.html

Marker Category
Pony Express
Geolocation

39.40494403, -119.17395886

Geofield
Roughing It

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