[216]       

Stillwater

Churchill County
  39.52161, -118.54652

"Stillwater is one of the more quieter towns I have yet to visit ... located just far enough away from Fallon's mega-center to feel humble and remote. It's hard to believe that Churchill County had its foundings here right in the middle of the great expanse of wetlands. Many of the people who live in Stillwater have probably defined their own meaning of life ... in the way of peace and tranquility or in the never-ending passage of time. Valueful. Priceless." -- Journal Entry, September 2007

Along SR 116 in Stillwater, 16 miles northeast of Fallon

Original Date Visited: 9/22/07

Signed: Eastbound lane of SR 116

  • Marker 216 plaque
  • Marker 216 and the quiet community of Stillwater

Exact Description:
Stillwater's beginning predates Nevada's advent to statehood by two years. Named for large pools of tranquil water nearby, the town originated as an Overland Stage Station in 1862; was granted a post office in 1865; and became Churchill's third county seat in 1868.

Farmers developed one of the state's first irrigation systems to supply booming mining camps with produce. The community population peaked in 1880, and when the county seat was removed to Fallon in 1904, barely three dozen residents remained.

The National Wildlife Refuge of 22,000 acres of wetland habitat, natural breeding and feeding grounds for waterfowl, was created in 1948. The Stillwater Indian Reservation adjoins the reserve.

Although their community center has disappeared, the valley's lush fields and abundant crops attest to the untiring efforts of Stillwater's pioneer ranchers and their descendants who met the desert's challenge with dedication and determination. To those who survived and to those who did not -- we pledge our remembrance.

Next Marker:

TATE'S STAGE STATION

Related Links & Markers:

 Stillwater Wildlife Refuge (FWS) 

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