Cherry Creek, Nevada

Nearest town: McGill, Nevada 30 miles.
Location: North of McGill on U.S. Hwy 93 25 miles to sign then west on paved road 5 miles to Cherry Creek.

Here, at one time, was the largest town in White Pine County. Part of the Cherry Creek Mining District, most gold and silver was produced between 1872 and 1883. At the peak of its prosperity, the town had an estimated population of 6,000.

Five miles south of Cherry Creek is Egan Canyon where one of the oldest gold mines in Nevada was located. As early as 1850, Indians mined gold there. A stage station was located by Major Howard Egan in 1859 for Woodward and Chorpenning's California Mail Co.

In 1860, this station was used by the Pony Express as a change station, and from 1861 to 1869 it was an Overland Stage station.

In 1864, a five-stamp mill, the first such in Eastern Nevada, and a small mining camp were constructed. Most of the early activity had ceased by 1883.

But in 1897 there was a great revival in mining activity which lasted into the early 1900s. During this period, prior to completion of the Nevada Northern Railroad in 1906, freight and passenger traffic was via long strings of massive freight wagons and stagecoaches from Toano and Wells to the north.

In 1933, the old mine was re-opened and a new camp was built. Production from the Egan mine over the years has been approx. $3 million.

There are still about 20 permanent residents in Cherry Creek, and their homes stand next to many abandoned buildings built in the 1800s. The 110-year-old Cherry Creek Barrel Saloon still serves spirits and sells "Whooie Sticks" and the Cherry Creek School has been turned into the Cherry Creek Museum.

Built in 1872, the Cherry Creek School is one of the two oldest standing Nevada schoolhouses. In November 1894, a dispute between Pat Green and Pat Dolan about the building's location turned violent with Dolan killing Green in a gunfight.

Peak enrollment at the school was 56 students. In 1901, a gasoline-fueled lantern exploded and burned several buildings, nearly destroying the schoolhouse.

After the last class in 1941, the building was used as a post office until 1971. Acquired by Walter Campbell in 1994, the schoolhouse has been converted into a museum that is open by appointment.

Sources: Cherry Creek Historic Marker.
Cherry Creek School Museum interpretive sign.

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