| |
By Anne (Annetta Meinen), Research Virginia Johnson, Research and Composition
Reprinted from the first edition of the Silver Springs / Stagecoach Community Telephone Book,– revised and expanded from copy appearing in first edition of Highway 50 Business Directory, Circa 1989
is located at the junction of US 50 and 95-A, in the area of Lyon County known as Churchill Valley. The community is bordered on the east by Lake Lahontan with the Dead Camel Mountains in the background. The Virginia-Ramsey range is to the north, and the Carson River anchors the south, at Weeks. Churchill Butte dominates the scenery to the southwest, and the sun sets over the Lincoln Highway (50) due west.
The area is rich with history! Fort Churchill, the Talapoosa and Ramsey Mines and the Pony Express trails are the places that spurred human activity in the 1800s. Other names and landmarks to be found in the area and in numerous history books are: The Humbolt and Fremont trails, Hooten Wells, Stockton Well, William’s Station, Haws, Major Ormsby, Honey Lake Smith, Buckland Station Inn (with the controversial “toll” bridge to cross over the Carson River! There were hostile and friendly native Indians, explorers, gold rush pioneers, missionaries, entrepreneurs, drifters, artists, men, women, children, livestock (including rumored pack-camels) and wild animals that passed through or put down shallow roots, for a spell, in or around the valley. It is even a tale that Mark Twain spent a restless and frightful night in a blizzard, just west of the valley! They came, and they went -- but none stayed to build a future! Many years, (maybe a hundred) later, one man and his business partner took a look at the area that had become known as the “Crossroads” (or Jackrabbit Junction), and liked what they saw.
of the community of Silver Springs began in when Merle S. Peek and Bernard Klassen purchased a large portion of the valley from Dick Conklin. The future town site was originally a part of the Break-A-Heart Ranch. In the beginning, Mr. Klassen maintained an office in Fallon, and Mr. Peek’s land sales were conducted from an office in Los Angeles.
The location of the “town site” was purchased, by Mr. Peek, from another man, Mr. Hurt, in . Walter Reid, an engineer from Virginia City, and E. P. Osgood were commissioned to survey and map out most of the early subdivisions, commercial areas and small residential lots for Sub. I, located on the East Side of 95A.
,
Merle’s brother, Dan Peek, came out from Maryland. Dan, a building contractor, began block-laying for the first building in Silver Springs – The Land Office. The brothers stayed in Fallon, driving to the Crossroads, each day. When the building was finished, Dan returned to Maryland to pick up his wife Mary, sons John, Dale and Danny, and family friend, Pat Callahan. These first six people became the first residents of Silver Springs, “camping” in the rear of his brother’s Land Office Building.
Water was a problem, for awhile. A new pump was installed on an old well, some distance away, and water for construction or living purposes carried in buckets or other container to wherever needed. Dan and Pat began building for Jim Dodd, who had purchased the land on the northwest side of the intersection. A huge block building, the second, went up over several months. At the time, the building was to become a restaurant and casino. The men then went to work on the third building, a seven-unit motel.
While these buildings were under construction, Dan was working on the fourth building – a home for his family, on Donner Trail, just south of the Land Office. In 1951 Dan and his family and friend, Pat, moved into the new home. As Dan moved out of the Land Office building, Merle gathered up his family in Los Angeles. Merle, wife Esther and sons Ronald, George and Stephan took their turn as tenants in the now empty “ living quarters”, until their large rose colored cinder block home on Elm Street, (across the highway in what was to become Sub. II) was completed Dan and Pat, continued building for Dodd, completing a large “factory” building, west of town, on the north side of 50. It was to become the first industry “Electrocap” Mfg. The manager, Dick Curtis and his parents V.J. and Febe lived in a mobile home along-side the factory. Febe Curtis was the first newspaper columnist, writing the weekly news from Silver Springs, for newspapers in Fallon and Lyon County.
Another home block was built on Elm Street – this one for Merle’s older son, Stanley Peek and his wife Lavon. Stan had moved here to help build roads for his father’s development.
Bob Lee and his family, wife Nancy and children – Virginia, Robert Jr. and Dorothy, had moved from Denver, to Fernley, after purchasing property in Silver Springs property (sight unseen) from an ad in the LA Times. Bob, a Plasterer, by Trade, drove to Silver Springs, on his days off, to work on their home across from the Dan Peek’s. The family moved into their new home, and became residents in 1951. (The stucco finished main home no longer stands at the corner of Donner and 95A, but a small and crumbling, roofless, rock and cement, and recycled timber building still marks the back of the property.)
Also arriving in were Warren and Rosemary Barlow, and son Butch. They first built their home, near the southeast corner of the Crossroads. They also started construction on their restaurant, “Barlow’s Café”. While still living in Los Angeles the Barlows, along with other “absentee” landowners formed the first “Chamber of Commerce” to promote the community they planned to move to and help build! The first officers were: Warren Barlow, President – Bob Ingersol, Secretary and Earl Van Every, Treasurer. Their goal: “ To promote and advertise the development of Silver Springs”.
Six children started attending school in Fernley, in ’51: Commuting by private car were the Peek boys, Dan’s and Merle’s. A baby girl, Eileen, the first child born to a Silver Springs couple, was born to Stan and Lavon.
Just after Thanksgiving the Barlow’s Café opened to a hungry community. It soon became the favorite stopping place for travelers and school teams, too. Rosemary’s hamburgers were known as “the best around”. With Jukebox, a neighborhood bar, and foods from breakfast to steaks, Barlow’s was the place to meet and mix with neighbors and friends!
Robert (Bob) and Anne (Annetta) Meinen and young son Bobby moved from Tucson in ’52. Bob worked for Merle. The family, like many others first lived in two units of the motel, later taking up residence in the back of the Land Office. A baby girl, Anne Louellen was born before they purchased the home on Elm, from Stan Peek.
A baby boy, Patrick Lee, was the newest arrival at the Lee home. During this school year fifteen children attended Fernley schools. They were: Two Klassens, three Curtis, Butch (Warren Jr.) Barlow, three Lee youngsters, and the six Peek boys.
Dan constructed a small building addition on the front of their home. Now folks could gas-up and buy simple auto accessories or grab a candy-bar, in town. Mary’s sister, Carol, husband Fred and their daughter, Astrid arrived. The Schmuelligans helped Dan run the town’s first gas station. Pat Callahan began to build three block homes on the south end of Ft. Churchill St. One was to be the new home for Stan Peek family, the second for Pat, and a third that was later sold (unfinished) to Bill and Nirah Burkholder, and their children, Larry and Patricia.
An article in the Fallon Standard, dated February 1953, stated “ twenty-six families live in Silver Springs – or are presently building homes.” The news article listed: John Wootens, Warren Barlows,Manuel and Ruth Ortiz, (who were building the first grocery & mercantile store), Dan Peeks, Merle Peeks, Bob Meinens, George Gillette, Robert Lees, Gordon Pauls, Edward Callahan, Kornelius Klassens, Boyd Fairchild, Frank Parks, Cornelius Loewen, Jessie Clark, Dick Curtis, VJ & Febe Curtis, Walter Nichols, a Mr. Cameron, and Dick Burke. It was mentioned that there were others, not named in the article.
Betty Peek was the first baby girl born to the Dan Peeks, in a long line of boys. Virginia Lee became the first graduating senior at FHS, from Silver Springs, and soon thereafter married Pat Callahan to go down in history as the first couple to be married from the community residents.
Highlights included the building of the first Plumbing and Home Supply store, opening under the ownership of Jack & Lee Wooten. It was also a place to order new home appliances, such as Maytag (wringer) washers, propane gas ranges and heaters. John and Adele Binkley built their home on the north end of Ft. Churchill St, and began construction on another motel, Del’s. Tom and Alberta Fiorica and sons became residents.
The community celebrated getting their first post office. The Boyd Fairchild home was the first lost to fire. The Nevada Highway Department advised the now local Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture that Silver Springs would be shown on the new State Maps. Pay telephone service came to the Crossroads, installed at The Land Office, Barlow’s Café and Dan’s new and bigger service station located nearer the intersections.
The community was very active, with residents, friends, neighbors and acquaintances participating in every sort of fund raiser or community improvement effort imaginable! There were potlucks, beach parties and events designed to bring tourists and/or folks from neighboring communities to town! Beach improvements were made, including blasting and removing old stumps to make it safer for boating and swimming.
The Chamber of Commerce entered it’s first of several annual floats in the Nevada Day Parade, walking away with an award for “best community effort”. Other awards were brought home in years following.
Channel 8 (KOLO – TV) was received and welcomed into many homes! One hundred percent of the businesses in Silver Springs proudly joined the Highway 50 Association. Nat and Nena Estrella became residents, Nat working for Dan at the station, and Nena joining her sister Esther Peek at the Land Company Office.
The community saw many new families coming to Silver Springs, including the Michaelis, Moore, Donahue, Art & Olga Lee, Malone, Gabrielson, Powell, Harlow, Avery, Stohl, Blackie Harms (who purchased the Barlow’s Café), Gillette, Pauls, Cash, McCraw, Bents, Black, Wilsons (who opened the Wilson’s Bluebird Café (where Pipers Casino now stands), Page, Porter, Dubose, Schoen, Hart, Vern & Audrey Vogel & sons, Charlie and Mary Cibley, Williams, Johnson, Ford and Baker.
These and others were the visionaries, the modern-day Pioneers of the 50’s. These families represent the “Founding Families” and the spirit, behind the Silver Springs Community that in the year 2000, celebrated its 50th Anniversary!
|