The long history of Hay Ranch shows it first operated as a stage station during the 1860s while growing 1,000 tons of hay each year. When Eureka began to boom, Hay Ranch became an important food stop for stages and freight teams heading south. A boardinghouse, a restaurant, and a livery stable thrived during the late 1860s and 1870s. Hay Ranch achieved even more importance once the Eureka and Palisade Railroad was completed. Once the railroad was completed to Eureka in 1875, Hay Ranch’s population stabilized at about 25 people. The ranch is still active today and a few vintage buildings remain and one appears to be the original Hay Ranch station house.

Submitted by: Shawn Hall from his book Romancing Nevada's Past: Ghost Towns And Historic Sites Of Eureka, Lander, And White Pine Counties Click here to purchase his book!