Directions: Highway 50E from Fallon 67.3 miles; Turn E on local road and continue generally East and then Southeast for about 4.6 miles

From Fallon: 94 miles

What Was

Overland Mail Station and a stop on the Pony Express. A National Park Service Pony Express Page says,

"Several sources mention Edwards' Creek as a station, including the 1861 mail contract. Townley notes the existence of possible ruins along the creek, where several conflicts between Indians and whites took place."

Helen Carlson, in her book Nevada Place Names, quotes J.H. Simpson explaining,

"I call the stream after one of my assitants, Mr. Edward Jagiello, a Polish gentleman; his surname being difficult of pronounciation, I have preferred his Christian name as the appellation."

Apaprently the station was constructed by one Sam Davis in the Spring of 1861 or thereabouts. Looks like he also did a little prospecting between his station duties.

Sam Davis, who is constructing a station at Edwards' Creek, on the Overland route, at the Humboldt, lately showed us some specimens of gold, weighing half an ounce each. The specimens had been pounded between rocks to disengage the quartz, by the Indians, from whom Davis obtained them. He says that the Indians procured the gold about one hundred and fifty miles north of his station, but thinks it would be hardly safe for small parties to go out there unless they are acquainted with the Indians.
-1861 April 29 Sacramento Daily Union

Was there a telegraph station at Edwards Creek? According to this there was.

ARRIVAL OF THE PONY EXPRESS
[By telegraph from St. louis to Fort Kearny, thence by Pony Express to Edwards Creek Station, thence by Telegraph to Sacramento]
Edwards Creek Station 100 miles east of Fort Churchill, August 2nd
The Pony, with dates from St. Louis to July 26th, arrived here at eight o'clock this afternoon, bringing advices for the Union.
DATES TO JUI.Y 26th. Great Battle at Bull's Run— lmmense Loss of Life— RebelsFirst Driven Back— Gen. Johnston Joins Beauregard— Great Odds of the Enemy— Federal Troops Repulsed and Forced Back— Gen. Banks Supersedes Gen. Patterson — Patterson's Inactivity— Bravery of Gov. Sprague and Gen. McDowell — Gallantly of the Fire Zouaves and other Regiments— One of Jeff Davis' Captures Re-taken— Union Men Hung by Secessionists
1861 August 3 Sacramento Daily Union

An Edwards Creek Station anecdote:

The following passage occurred via the Salt Lake correspondence of the Alta, published August 26th :
In consequence of change, want of comfortable sleep and rest, one of our passengers, towards evening, became excited and delirious, imagining that there was a conspiracy to murder and rob him. At the last station (Edwards' creek), while at supper, he insisted that the conductor and driver were conspiring together to harm him ; that they were whispering together and making him the subject of their remarks. He insisted at supper that the driver rubbed up against him and was armed with a revolver. After starting, be demanded to know what their designs were, protesting he had not injured any man intentionally that he was helpless and had no arms save a Derringer. He offered it to the conductor, who, after much persuasion, consented to take it, very much to my relief. As we were approaching the outward station he became alarmed and anxious, expecting a dispatch for his arrest and detention. He protested his intentions were good. All attempts at pacification ware in vain, and his anxiety and excitement increased every moment as we approached the station, urging the driver to increase his speed, that he might send a dispatch to a friend in California and explain his conduct, etc. There was no dispatch for his arrest, and after forwarding his, he became more calm, and passed the day in a quiet manner. In the twilight of evening, passing up a ravine along which grew a few stunted willows beside a small brook, be saw men, masked, behind the bushes, then Indians skulking, the number increasing till he counted "one, two, three, firv, nine, eleven, thirteen, thirty. What do you want ? Here I am, fiends and red devils. l am ready to be sacrificed. See, I bare my breast — ready, aim, fire!" We prevailed upon him to take a drink of brandy and lie down. He slept, and did not rise till dewy morn. ln a more recent letter the following appeared, which goes to explain the identity of the delirious individual, who turns out to be Phil. Moore, who lately absconded from Nevada with the tax funds which he had collected.
-1861, 31 August Sacramento Daily Union

Traveling on the Overland Route was not exactly what you'd call First Class:

The skeletons of cattle that had died for lack of water lay all along the route. Crows and coyotes had eaten most of their flesh, and the remainder the sun had dried. At Cold Springs, on Saturday night, we took on a conductor, a very unnecessary article altogether, and this one was uncivil. The driver hitherto had carried a canteen of water for the convenience of the passengers between the stations. Mr. Conductor was asked to do the same, and refused, saying, "If the passengers want water they may carry it themselves." The ride that night was very uncomfortable; over stony roads and through rocky canons the wagon jolted and shook us out of all chance of sleep. At half past one o'clock, the next morning, we were summoned to breakfast at Edwards' creek and refused to go, on the ground that it was an unreasonable hour. The conductor grumbled at time being lost by our decision, for he and the driver breakfasted there, and we said we would eat at the next station. We grumbled at our appetites being subjected to the caprices of the conductor ,or the Company as the case might be, and paid dearly for our obstinacy by having to give a dollar for some coffee out of tin cups, some beans and bread that would have been dear at a bit, at the next station.
-1861 September 17 Sacramento Daily Union

Miners in the area sometimes didn't get along.

Another homicide is also undergoing investigation. Two mining partners at Edwards' Creek settled up their affairs and quarreled about the terms of settlement, when both drew pistols and fired, one shooting the other through the lungs, inflicting a wound which has since proved mortal. The wounded man stated that his own pistol was accidentally discharged, but there were no witnesses present, and the survivor says he was shot at before firing his own pistol. The latter came to Carson, gave himself up, and was held in $1,000 bond for shooting.
- 1861 October 31 Sacramento Daily Union

EXAMINATION OF A MURDER CASE. Another murder case was examined to-day by Judge Dixon. About a week ago a man named Samuel S. Davis came into town and surrendered himself as a prisoner, stating that he had shot one Simon Lipp at Edwards Creek, about a hundred miles distant, but had done so in self defense. On this statement Judge Dixon held Davis in $1,000 for examination to-day In the meantime information was received that Lipp had died of his wounds, and had stated before death that Davis had shot him causelessly, his own (Lipp's) pistol having been accidentally discharged. A letter was also received by the Sheriff from one Bush of a similar tenor. But on the examination to-day there were no witnesses from Edwards Creek, and Judge Dixon was compelled to discharge the defendant. Davis then voluntarily gave bonds in $1,000 to appear for further examination one week from to-day, being anxious to have the matter investigated. The fatal quarrel grew out of the settlement of partnership affairs between the parties. Lipp is said to have been noted as a man who was "on the shoot," and certainly the course pursued by Davis is not one indicative of a sense of guilt. Carson City (N. T.), Nov. 1, 1861.
-1861 November 4 Sacramento Daily Union

The Third Regiment - Immigration.
Camp Smith's Creek, 104 miles east of Fort Churchill, Aug 22d.
The Third Regiment and one company of cavalry, California Volunteers, left Edwards' creek station at 7 A.M. and arrived here at 11 o'clock A.M. today. There were no accidents, and the command is in excellent health. They passed a large number of emigrants, generally from Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa.
-1862 August 23 Sacramento Daily Union

Just to give you an idea of some of the distances involved. Figure about 4 miles an hour, or so I'm told.

REESE RIVER —The Nevada Transcript publishes the annexed table of distances from Virginia City to Reese River, for the benefit of such of its readers as are affected with a mania and intend embarking to the newly discovered Silverado:

...........................................MILES
From Virginia to Six-mile House..............6
From Six-mile House to First Well ...........6
From First Well to Second Well ..............7
From Second Well to Third Well .............12
From Third Well to Eighteen Mile Post .......8
From Eight-mile Post to Bisby's Station .....4
From Bisby's Station to Ragtown .............8
From Ragtown to Rivor Bed ...................5
From River Bed to Slough Bridge ............11
From Slough Bridge to Sand Springs .........16
From Sand Spring to West Gate ..............22
From West Gate to Cold Springs .............14
From Cold Springs to Edwards' Creek ........12
From Edwards' Creek to Mt. Arra Station ....15
From Mt. Arra Station to Reese River .......13
Total .....................................159

The road is good most of the way, and accomadations for man and beast are ample and reasonable the whole route. We are also informed that this road is not only the best but the shortest, by some 15 or 20 miles. The Overland Stage Company have fixed the price of passage from Virginia City to Reese River at $35, and the cost from Nevada to Virginia City, $20; thus making the total rost of stage fare from this place to Reese River, $55. ($1042.76 in 2014 dollars)
-1863 March 17 Marysville Daily Appeal

Hey, but there was good news too!

NOT DEAD. — A resident of Virginia Nev. , named C. W. Bonynge, who was supposed to have fallen over a precipice near Edwards creek, on the overland route, has turned up alive and in good condition.
-1865 June 19 Sacramento Daily Union

But the mining disputes continued, at least on a small scale.

There is a report in town that a man has been shot at Edwards' creek, about fifteen miles beyond New Pass. A dispute concerning claims to land is said to be the cause of the shooting,
-1867 January 12 Sacramento Daily Union

Post Office: None

Newspaper: None

What is

One of the rare times when the USGS map was way off base. We found no ruins where the map said they would be- instead, we found remains of a rock building 1.87 miles NW of the reported location. So, we're assuming these ruins to be what's left of the Edwards Creek Overland Mail Station.

Thanks to NVGeezer for pointing out we had posted the incorrect driving instructions, which probably resulted in hundreds of Explorers getting lost.