Point of Rocks Stage Station State Historic Site
The Point of Rocks Stage Station is a former resting place at the meeting point of the Overland Trail and the Union Pacific Railroad in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, USA. It was built as a stop for the Overland Stage Line in the 1861 or 1862, equidistant between the earlier Black Buttes and Salt Wells stations, which were 28 miles (45 km) apart. The station served the stage line from 1862 to 1868. In 1868, the Union Pacific line reached Point of Rocks, putting the stage line out of business. The station then became a freight depot for nearby mines, with a road leading to Atlantic City and South Pass. The freight activity declined, and in 1877, the station became a residence. At one point it was allegedly inhabited by Jim McKee, a former member of the Hole in the Wall Gang. It became the property of the state of Wyoming in 1947[1] and is administered as Point of Rocks Stage Station State Historic Site.[2]
Point of Rocks Stage Station | |
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| Nearest city | Rock Springs, Wyoming |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°40′30″N 108°47′30″W / 41.67500°N 108.79167°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1862 |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000679 |
| Added to NRHP | April 3, 1970 |
Point of Rocks Station is sited next to the alkaline Bitter Creek, in a valley framed by steep cliffs. The station is a low one-story building, built of local sandstone with mud mortar. The station has burned at least once, and roof construction is a timber structure with metal covering. A stable building is nearby. The station is close to the present-day Interstate 80. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 3, 1970.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b Barnhart, Bill (December 19, 1969). "Point of Rocks Stage Station". National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. National Park Service. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
- ^ "Point of Rocks Stage Station State Historic Site". Wyoming Heritage. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
External links
edit- Point of Rocks Stage Station State Historic Site Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites & Trails
- Point of Rocks Stage Station State Historic Site Wyoming State Historical Society
- Point of Rocks Stage Station Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office
- Point of Rocks Stage Station, Rock Springs vicinity, Point of Rocks, Sweetwater, WY Library of Congress Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS)
- Point of Rocks Stage Station, Stable, Rock Springs vicinity, Point of Rocks, Sweetwater, WY Library of Congress Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS)