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Last Seen:
Along SR 225, 24 miles north of Elko
This marker is currently missing
Region
Northern
Signed
No signs exist for this marker
MISSING
This marker has been missing since 2003.
Exact Description (as of 2003)
Dinner Station stands as a reminder of Nevada's stagecoach era. Established in the early 1870's by William C. (Hill) Beachey as a meal stop for the Tuscarora and Mountain City stage lines, it was originally known as Weilands. The name was later changed to Oldham's Station when a change of ownership took place. A frame structure originally accommodated the traffic, but a fine two-story stone station house, out-buildings and a corral were built following a fire in the 1800's. Early in the Twentieth Century, both automobiles and horse-drawn stages stopped at and it became one of the most popular country inns of the time. After 1910, when automobiles became more common, the station ceased to be used.
Street View
Case number 244
Missing Since: 2003
Whereabouts
According the State Marker System:
"Located in Fantasy Park, 1/4 mile east of Las Vegas Boulevard North and Washington Street in Las Vegas, Nevada."
August 2008:
We had been on an eight-day quest to check off the conquering of this massive county. This was not an easy feat because all of the Elko County Markers are extremely spread out over a 200-square mile expanse. This included the memorable, but daunting task of finishing the Jarbidge Markers.
Alas. Our hopes were shot down because of this single unexpected MIA at Dinner Station.
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These are the updates and my findings regarding - 32 - OLD SPANISH TRAIL:
The Historic Dinner Station
The disappearance of Marker 244 could be fairly cut and dry, but it's also a prime example of how private ownership can throw a few of wrenches into the cogs of preserving history for all.
First, a bit of history is needed. Unfortunately, the SHPO didn't deliver too much for us to perceive in the marker's text.
Dinner Station began with a wooden building in the early 1860s and catered to the all-relevant horse and wagon using the route of present-day SR 225 for traveling to points northward. This included transportation to some mining towns such as Tuscarora and Cornucopia. The building was destroyed by a fire in 1884 and was replaced by the stone building you see in the Street View above. By 1900, this tiny rest stop had a population of 40 inhabitants, all serving much-needed goods and rest for weary travelers in this relatively isolated part of Nevada. However, the start of the automotive industry spelled the end for Dinner Station and instead just became a private residence in the middle of nowhere.
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Not a Host in Sight at Dinner Station
In 1991, a fire broke out and decimated the sole building, but owners restored the entire property (and the main building you see in the Street View) around 1996.
The Street View above is the key to seeing what goes on at Dinner Station. As you'll see, I have no photos of the station because the entire property is privately owned: not just the main building, but everything on both sides of the highway. This makes it very frustrating to tell the story of this lonely roadside stop. Today, you'll see signs liberally posted with "No Parking Within 1400 feet," even though you'll see two large roadside pullouts adjacent to the grass.
1400 feet is an oddly specific number, meaning that the signs have to be deliberate are weren't posted by the NDOT.
These pullouts are part of State Route 225. That means, any part of the highway, including the pullouts, is state property, owned and operated by the Nevada Department of Transportation. The SHPO used these pullouts to place Marker 244 around 2002.
Here's where it gets confusing. Additional records show that another fire broke out and wiped out half of the building in 2003. This story coincides with the marker's dedication a year prior. The owners, once again, rebuilt the home, but couldn't save the marker. This is significant because Marker 244 was the last of the Standard-issue designs before the SHPO switched to all metal plaques. (All markers after Dinner Station were built using concrete slabs and flat plaques in the metal type.)
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Is this what decimated the marker?
Did the SHPO realize the flaw in their marker design?
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Somehow, I don't think that's the full story. Considering that Dinner Station is a private residence, with those oddly specific no parking signs, I believe the marker's removal was deliberate. Perhaps the owners simply grew tired of people stopping at the state-owned pullouts to read the marker and shoot off some photos of the old station.
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If that's true, this case is a true testament to how private ownership can completely butt heads with what the public can and cannot access ... such as a roadside historic marker. If you'd like to do your own hunting, Marker 244 was last seen at one of these roadside pullouts. We don't know whether the marker was destroyed in the most recent fire, or that it fell victim to a sledgehammer and might even be stored away in those metal buildings you see in the Street View. Either way, I don't recommend hanging around too long at these pullouts. Instead, pay tribute to the old station as you scurry on down State Route 225.​​
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Updates!
As it turns out, I have received one tip from an avid marker hunter whom, like myself, doesn't like that this sole MIA keeps the entirety of Elko County being conquered! This is truly a completionist's nightmare.
This email came after a somewhat recent renovation of the highway started at the beginning of the summer season in 2022 by an actual worker from the Elko County Roads Department. He didn't want his name stated. This is the exact email that I received and may shed a bit more light on the passing of Marker 244.
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Hi Paul,
I've got a bit of information about the landmarker up in north Elko.
You stated that Dinner Station was a private residence and yes that is true but it was also purchased by Elko County just after the fire broke. We went up there to help fix the building and didn't see the plaque. A few of my colleagues reported seeing the metal landmarker every time they had to go up to Owyhee and used it as a reference point of sorts since nothing is up that way anyways. That was back in 03 and then we received word of the fire at the house.
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As far as we know nobody ever came out to fix the plaque since then and honestly I don't know since the landmarkers are not part of our job. It would nice to be nice to see it back since it's a pretty historic place!
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Now, this is crucial because this gap in time between the fire breaking out and the marker "never seeing the plaque" when they were doing repairs may prove my last point. If the marker was indeed still present at the time of the fire, there would be some trace of it, or somebody would recover it. If it was nowhere to be found, this proves that Marker 244 was deliberately taken down before the fire had occurred.
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Unfortunately, Marker 244 may have suffered the same fate as Marker 24 Olinghouse: death by intentional vandalism or removal. I have a theory that this might also be the reason why Marker 244 was never replaced for Nevada's massive 150th Sesquicentennial. Due to the salty land ownership and delicate relations here, gaining any land acquisition or permission for a replacement is out of the question. Still, we have some recommendations.
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Simply put, history belongs to everybody.
Holy Nevada! I have a flurry of possibilities and strategies to replace this marker to prevent further mishaps (red tape) in the future. Here's the deal and the harsh reality of things. Marker 244 is unlikely to be replaced because any current ownership of Dinner Station also associates with any possible representations of Dinner Station. In other words, any owners of the old building will not like any historic markers even mentioning "their property."
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This was the case for Marker 85 Sutro until new owners bought the Sutro Tunnel and began welcoming the public for tours. A few months after this exchange in ownership, Marker 85 was replaced.
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So, what can we do for the future?
Simply put, the only way to fix this problem is to locate any replacements for Dinner Station far removed from Dinner Station itself. As you'll see all of our recommendations are within the city limits of Elko because it is next to impossible to vandalize or remove a marker inside city limits ... lest you want a few nights in jail inside the Elko Police. If this happens, the plaque can always be rewritten to reference the station twenty-five miles to the north.
What do you think of our recommendations?
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1. SR 225 and Cattle Drive - Elko
Our top recommendation!
This location sits right on the northern city limits of Elko. Yes, barely within Elko, but still maintains a very rural feel to represent Dinner Station.
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Of course, you don't need to locate the replacement exactly at this road junction. As long as the marker sits within the city limits, it is relatively safe from worry.
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2. Northeastern Nevada Museum -- Elko
Locating a 244 replacement here could be beneficial. The museum has an excellent homesteading exhibit that highlights Dinner Station along with the wagon routes leading in and out from Elko. Plus, placing the new marker here would offer hunters a unique "three-for-one" special, enabling the conquering of three markers -- 244, 106, and 107!
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3. W. Idaho St (Old US 40/Business 80) -- Elko
This might be a great spot for a future version of Marker 244. As you can see, there's a nice view of the distant ranges in the direction of Dinner Station, and the presence of this truck stop would offer a protected status for the new marker. Elko Sheriffs regularly frequent this truck stop on their interstate patrols. This spot is a win-win but in a more out-of-the-way location of Elko.
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If you have any information regarding - 244 - DINNER STATION we ask that you please contact me or the State Historic Preservation Office at (775)684-3448 as soon as possible.
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Let's get this marker back to the people and/or the justice it deserves!
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