7-26-2020 Fernley, NV

Nobody knows why this town got the name, “Fernley.”  In fact, it all began in 1902 when a few farmers got together and thought this would be a good place to grow some crops because of an irrigation project on the Truckee River.  So they were all happily growing their beans and corn and then the railroad showed up.  By this time, the community had decided to call itself, “Fernley,” and the railroad decided it was a good place for a siding.  In 1908, they got a Post Office and by 1910, Fernley had 159 belly buttons.  The rest is history.  Now, there are about 20,000 Fernleyans.  This is the Reader’s Digest version.  (And yes, they have a Walmart.)

What's left of Fort Churchill

Hospital at Fort Churchill

Officers' quarters

A bit south of Fernley, Fort Churchill was established in 1860, with the usual goal of protecting settlers and travelers against Indian aggression.  Capt. Joseph Stewart was in charge of building the fort and being no dummy  he named it for his boss, Sylvester Churchill, Inspector General of the Army.  Their job also included protecting the overland routes of the Pony Express.

The Fort was intended to be a permanent installation and was built on stone foundations and structures made of adobe.  It was ¼ mile square, buildings all around the sides with a big center courtyard.  The buildings included barracks, six officers’ quarters and a hospital.  Plans change.  In 1869, the military had decided the job was finished and the fort was abandoned.  Enter Samuel Buckland, who bought the whole shootin’ match for $750 US. 

"We're going out there and then
up and over those mountains, right?
Ummm.... why?!"

Buckland Station

Sam Buckland was an entrepreneur, farmer and rancher.  He supplied the military, the emigrants and the local community with food, supplies and horses.  He established Buckland Station, a Pony Express stop where the riders were supplied with fresh mounts to continue their ride.  Sam, the new owner of the abandoned fort, stripped it of structural materials and used some of them to build Buckland Station where he and his wife, Eliza, lived.  Sam, Eliza and 5 of their 8 children (ages 8, 2, 1, 2 days and “infant no dates”) are buried at Fort Churchill and are the only remaining graves.  The 44 servicemen’s graves have been moved to a military cemetery in Carson City.

Pony Bob

The Buckland family gravesites

One of the more famous Pony Express riders was Robert Haslam.  He regularly rode the route between Tahoe and Buckland Station.  His famous record ride was 120 miles in 8 hours and 20 minutes while wounded.  The message he was carrying?  Abraham Lincoln’s Inaugural Address.  His nickname was “Pony Bob,” what else?

Virginia City is a day trip from Fernley and it begged.  We just had to drive by our 10-acre “dream lot” to see what the new owners had made of it, for one thing.  We wanted to try to find my friend and boss’s grave (Ed G.) at the local cemetery and leave a few flowers.  It seemed it would be easy in the small cemetery but after an hour of searching in the hot sun, we gave up and laid the flowers on the grave of a Marine who had served in WWII.  Another goal was a cold Bucket of Blood Amber Ale and a bit of country music at the Bucket of Blood Saloon on the old boardwalk in the city.  This was accomplished. 

While you're standing there, Rob,
order me a Bucket of Blood Amber Ale!

Julia Bulette

When it came time to head for home, another storm was brewing and that seemed like a good signal not do that.  Instead, we waited for the storm to pass with a quick sandwich and fries at Virginia City Joe’s on the deck overlooking the hills beyond the city.  Joe’s used to be the Julia C. Bulette Saloon, Café and Red Light Museum.  The hookers’ museum used to be in the downstairs rooms.  Gotta think… what kind of artifacts would one find in a hookers’ museum?  It’s a curious place.  “What do you think this device did, Rob?”  Julia Bulette was the most well-known and loved of all the hookers in town.  She was a madam, hooker, philanthropist and a volunteer firefighter aside from her “day job,” as it were.  In 1867, at the age of 35, she was brutally bludgeoned and strangled to death.  Firefighters provided a mahogany coffin with silver handles and her funeral brought the entire town together.  When it came time to bury her, though, the Catholics resisted burying a lady of this “profession” on sacred Catholic ground.  So her last “getting laid” was getting laid to rest… well… you know….  somewhere out there in the hills, not many know where.  By the way, John Millian made the mistake of bragging about killing Julia for her jewelry and other valuables.  It didn’t take long to convict him and 4,000 people (including Mark Twain) witnessed his hanging.  Message:  Never, never, ever murder a town’s favorite hooker!

Julia's grave is out there somewhere.

Not to worry!  The Camera From Hell
may have found it!  I mean, how many graves
are out there, right?!