The Winters Ranch (Rancho Del Sierra)

[94]       

The Winters' Ranch (Rancho Del Sierra)

Washoe County
  39.31049, -119.82342

"It takes some strong footing to hold your ground here in Washoe Valley -- home of the infamous Washoe Zephyr, a fierce easterly wind that occurs almost daily. And then there's the Winters Ranch, which has no doubt withstood its fair share of zephyrs. Now the old homestead is as synonomous with the valley as Bowers Mansion, Franktown Road, and even Washoe Lake itself. Washoe wouldn't seem right without it. #94 conquered." -- Journal Entry, May 2007

Along US 395 Alt, 300 yards south of the Winters Ranch, 13 miles north of Carson City

Original Date Visited: 8/14/07

Signed: No

Marker History
This marker went missing in 2009 during re-construction of the I-580/US 395 freeway interchange in Washoe Valley. The once-quiet road junction of was converted into a major on-ramp and overpass from Old US 395, "the old road" (a necessary route for navigating the valley's notorious once-a-week Washoe Zephyrs) to the busy 580 freeway in between Reno and Carson City. Workers removed the marker for its safety and kept it in the care of NDOT maintenance yards until construction was complete in spring of 2012. Its re-dedication came just in time for Nevada's State Sesquicentennial (2014) celebration and was hand-picked as one out of thirty markers statewide re-vamped in 2015 in celebration of "Battle Born, 150th: A State Sesquicentennial" (as evident by the campaign's logo on the plaque).

  • The historic Winters Ranch of Washoe Valley
  • [94] Marker 94 and the historic Winter Ranch in the background left
  • [94] Marker 94 in Washoe Valley
  • [94] Marker 94 was replaced in 2014 after having gone missing for nearly a decade
  • [94] The historic Winters Ranch of Washoe Valley

Exact Description:
This large carpenter-Gothic style structure, completed about 1864, was the ranch home of Theodore and Maggie Winters and their seven children. Originally this area was settled by Mormons, and the ranch was purchased from Mormons by Winters and his brother, from the proceeds of the Comstock. Theodore Winters immediately set out to enlarge his property and built the mansion you see. The ranch, at one time, consisted of around 6,000 acres.

Winters raised outstanding race horses and raced them here. He also had a large dairy operation, raised beef cattle, work horses and sheep.

Theodore Winters was active in politics, being elected territorial representative in 1862.

Next Marker:

BATTLE MOUNTAIN

Related Links & Markers

 [114] -- Franktown 

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