Markers: 14

Lincoln

State parks. Historical markers. ET's and UFOs. Get primitive! More than meets the eye in this forgotten piece of Nevada. Lincoln County originally belonged to New Mexico Territory before the state line shifted southward. A few years later, Nevada's line shifted southward at the expense of the Utah and Arizona Territories. The county was named in honor of the sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln, the very same man responsible for admitting Nevada into the Union. Lincoln County's unique variety provides an interesting insight into this off-lying corner of Nevada.

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See the description on the map below for each marker's locals' tips and tricks!

- 5 - Pioche

"Designated as the seat of Lincoln County in 1871, Pioche survived hard times as a supply and government center for a vast area."

- 38 - Pahranagat Valley

"The Rolling Stones of Pahranagat," a hoax article on magnetic currents written in 1862 by Dan deQuille of the Territorial Enterprise, made this valley world famous."

- 39 - Panaca

"Southern Nevada's first permanent settlement and perhaps one of its most unique was settled as a Mormon colony by Francis C. Lee and others in 1864."

- 55 - Caliente (Culverwell's Ranch)

"Caliente was first settled as a ranch, furnishing hay for the mining camps of Pioche and Delamar."

- 57 - Old Boundary

"When the Territory of Nevada was carved from western Utah in 1861, this line became the southern boundary of the new territory ..."

- 90 - Delamar "The Widow Maker" (1893-1909)

"The dry milling processes used prior to the introduction of wet methods created a fine silicon or "death" dust which caused the deaths of many residents and gave the town its nickname."

- 93 - Panaca Mercantile Store

"Wagons from Salt Lake drawn by six-mule teams, carried stocks to, and produce from, Panaca and way stations."

- 160 - Panaca Spring

"The large and constant flow of sweet, warm water from this spring makes possible the desert oasis of Meadow Valley."

- 182 - Panaca Ward Chapel

"Oldest building in Lincoln County. Constructed in 1867-1868 of adobe from the swamps west of town."

- 203 - Bullionville

"Bullionville grew rapidly and by 1875 it had five mills, a population of 500 and the first iron foundry in eastern Nevada."

- 204 - Jackrabbit

"Local legend attributes the discovery to the locator picking up a rock to throw at a jackrabbit and finding himself holding high grade silver."

- 205 - Crystal Springs

"The discovery of silver in Pahranagat Valley in 1865 resulted in the creation of Lincoln County with Crystal Springs designated as the provisional county seat in 1866."

- 206 - Hiko

"Hiko, situated in the Pahranagat range of mountains, is an Indian expression for "white man's town."

- 249 - Union Pacific Depot - 1923

"The depot represents an imposing example of Mission Revival design."

Time to Get Wild

Lincoln County's unique variety provides an interesting insight to this off-lying corner of Nevada. US 93 is the county's lifeline to the rest of the Silver State and one designated as a "Scenic Route" for much its length through Lincoln. A drive down the 93 entails an arresting trip through three desert regions beginning in the cold, sage-choked desert of the Great Basin before curving its way through graphic "red" desert near Caliente. 93 ends its run with Mojave Desert in the south. The cluster of five state parks, however, is what pops Lincoln County from the map - parks all within a distance of forty miles! A trip to the massive ramparts of Kershaw-Ryan, Rainbow Canyon, or Beaver Dam are resembling of Zion or Capitol Reef National Parks in Utah. Cathedral Gorge perplexes its visitors with its sculpted sandstone spires and slot canyons while Echo Canyon and Spring Valley highlight some lovely cold water recreation in the Great Basin.

Lincoln County's 6 Nevada State Parks are all located within thirty miles of each other!

Founded: June 15, 1861
Size: 10,637 sq. mi.
Rank: 3rd out of 17
Population: 5,021(2022)
Rank: 13th out of 17
Density: 0.5 sq. mi.
Rank: 15th out of 17
Largest Community: Pioche (1,354)
County Seat: Pioche (1,354)
Highest Point: Mount Grafton (South Ridge) (10,640')

Known for ...
"Six Nevada State Parks," SR 375, "The Extraterrestrial Highway," Pioche Historic District, Rainbow Canyonon