39° 17' 35"N, 119° 15' 01"W - CHURCHILL BUTTE quad

Buckland's Station was the first county seat of Churchill County before it was wrested away by La Plata in 1864, who lost it to Stillwater four years later in 1868. Technically speaking, Buckland's was a joint county seat with Lyon County, since it was attached to Lyon for judicial and revenue purposes. Samuel Buckland brought cattle to the area in 1857 from California. He eventually built a toll crossing over the Carson River and established a stage station and a tent hotel. In 1860 he built a small log cabin. Buckland's Station was used as a Pony Express stop until the construction of nearby Fort Churchill. In 1861, the U.S. Army built nearby Fort Churchill, a scant one and three-quarter miles away on horseback. During 1864 Buckland opened a store to service Fort Churchill, travelers, and neighbors. In 1869 when Fort Churchill was closed in 1869, he purchased some of the materials used to build the fort and constructed the large frame building that still stands today. Samuel Buckland, his wife Eliza, and six of their nine children are buried in the cemetery at Fort Churchill. Buckland's Station is part of Fort Churchill State Historic Park.

SAMUEL S. BUCKLAND, Whose name appears so often in the early history of Nevada, was born at Kirkersville, Licking County, Ohio, September 13, 1826, where he remained until he reached the age of about twenty-four years, at which time he came, by way of the Isthmus of Panama, to California, arriving in San Francisco on his birthday, 1850. His aspirations led him to the mines, and he soon after started for those in the northern part of the State, in company with James 0. Williams, of " Williams' Station " notoriety, where he remained until 1857. During the last named year he came to what is now Nevada, intending to buy an improved ranch of the Mormons, but found they had left for the eastern part of the territory three days prior to his arrival. In the fall of the year he engaged in packing supplies from Placerville, Cali-fornia, to Genoa, using ten mules, and receiving eight cents per pound freightage. There being but little snow that winter he continued this business nearly all the time until the spring of 1858, when he took up a ranch in Jack's Valley. In these last two business relations be was associated with James 0. Williams. After selling this ranch they dissolved partnership and Mr. Buckland took up another ranch at the north end of Carson Valley, which he sold during the same year. In July, 1858, he took charge of a band of 300 cattle belonging to W. H. Bloomfield, moving them from Carson Valley to the big bend of the Carson River. He arrived at the place known as Buckland's Station the last day of July, that year. He took up a ranch for Bloomfield on what is known as the Island, and built a cabin. In the fall of 1859 be settled on his present ranch, and at the suggestion of Mr. Roberts, Agent for the Overland Stage Company, established a station and kept the stage stock and boarded the company's men. In the winter of 1859-60 he built a bridge across the Carson River near the station, which was used as a toll-bridge for some years. This was the first bridge built over the river below Carson Valley, and was in use until 1865, when it was replaced by one of a toll-road company's. During the month of November, 1859, snow fell to the depth of two and one-half feet and the winter was unusually severe. Mr. Buckland, however, lived in a tent and " took boarders." Sometimes as many as twenty men were staying with him. All who could found room to sleep on the floor of his " tent hotel," and the remainder were obliged to resort to the haystack. He did not charge for lodging, though he acted as chambermaid and cook for the weary travelers. In the spring of 1860 he built a log cabin, of good size, that was replaced by his present residence ten years later. In 1864 he opened a store, the goods being kept in his house until he erected a stone building for their reception. His partner in the mercantile business was Henry Bethel, who lost his life by the explosion of the steamer Yo Semite, on the Sacramento River, in October, 1865. Mr. Buckland was married December 6, 1860, to Miss Eliza A. Prentice, at the residence of G. M. Reed. Their union was blessed with eight children, three of whom are now living: George H., aged eighteen ; Nelson J., aged fourteen, and John F., aged nine years.
-History of Nevada, 1881

Another overview published in the Oakland Tribune in 1960

Buckland's Station
The story of Nevada's Fort Churchill would never be complete without mention of Samuel Sanford Buckland. It was Sam Buckland who established Buckland's Sta¬tion where the Overland Stage Company kept horses, and where the Pony Express likewise halted for a change of mounts. Sam Buckland had settled on the Carson River at the big bend a year or more before the soldiers came. His ranch eventually extended over 1,640 acres. It was Sam who took Captain Stewart aside and urged him to build Fort Churchill on the north side of the Carson River, and not on the south side as Stewart announced he intended to do. "Time demonstrated the wisdom of this course, as a better view was gained and access was easier with supplies, etc.," Sam wrote in his memoirs published in the 1913-1916 Nevada Historical Society papers. We are grateful to Mrs. Clara Beatty who directs the Nevada Historical Society from its Reno museum headquar¬ters, for a chance to scan Sam's account of Indian fighting. At the same time, we're grateful that Sam Buckland's only living descendant is a resident of Oakland. The Oakland man Is Nelson J. Buckland of 68th Ave., a grandson of Sam Buckland. though Nelson was but 12 years of, age when his father died, he can recall -the stories of his grandfather as related by his mother and father. Nelson's father was born in July of 1868 and died in 1904. His mother, Elizabeth Mitchell Buckland, was a covered wagon immigrant who lived until April of 1913. Nelson was born in Tonopah, but his late sister, Lucy Buckland Marty, was born in the old log house at the Buckland Ranch, within the shadows of Fort Churchill. The big two-story white Buckland ranch home that stands down the highway from Fart 'Churchill today was built by the pioneer in 1870, after Fort Churchill was abandoned. Sam Buck-land bid in all the movable parts of the fort for $750, thus acquiring lumber, win¬dows, doors and hardware for the new residence. The upper story was a dance hall at first. Nelson says there's an 1878 newspaper account that tells of a dance at the Bucklands' that lasted all night. Samuel S. Buckland was born in Kirkers¬vilie, Licking County, Ohio, on Sept. 13, 1826. He landed in San Francisco on the anniversary of his birth, 1850. His Oak¬land grandson, Nelson, says he has but one regret. Although much is told of his grandfather's Nevada life there seems to be no accounting of the seven or nine years he lived in California before going to Nevada. It is recorded that he went to Nevada with James Williams, one of the three Williams brothers who had Williams Station on the Carson River, Buckland's nearest neighbors in- -that---lonely country. Location of Williams Station is' now under the waters of Lake Lahontan. James Wil¬liams was away from home in early May of 1860. When he returned on May 8 he found his brothers, Oscar and David, mur¬dered. The cabin was a smoking ruins. Before riding to Buckland's Ranch for help he found the bodies of three strange men charred in the ashes. From Buck-land's the distraught James Williams rode on to Dayton, Silver City and Virginia City to give the alarm that Indians were on the warpath. That was the alarm that sent Major Ormsby and his volunteers out to bury the dead and meet death themselves in an Indian ambush. The Indians were routed in the battle in which Captain Storey was killed, and, says Buckland in an account of his experience on a scouting expedition, "We returned home feeling that we had had enough Indian fighting. The volunteers disbanded and. the regu¬lars returned to-the Truckee where they remained till Fort Churchill was established . This whole Indian business was a foolhardy undertaking as one dozen Indians, if brave and well managed, could have, killed every one of our command before we could have killed one of them, so securely were they hidden behind rocks and shrubs in the canyons and hills. There were many Indian scares at different times, but no serious. trouble after this."
-Oakland Tribune, December 25, 1960

Was Buckland a nice guy? Well, the Indians didn't think so.

The Indians camped on the bottom, around the place until two or three o'clock in the morning, and then started across the eight mile desert for Buckland's Station, intending to kill the owner, after whom it is named. They passed the ranch of C. M. Davis without molesting him. "Why," we asked,"did you not kill C. M. Davis, he was much nearer to you than S. S. Buckland." "Davis," he replied, "pretty good man, never abuse Ingin, no kill him. Buckland he heep bad, whip Injin, scold Injin, mighty cross all the time, we all say kill him, purty good."
-Morning Appeal February 13, 1881

When the Legislature started fooling around with county borders, several residents including Buckland protested against becoming part of Churchill County.

REMONSTRANCE AND PETITION. When the bill for making Churchill a distinct county was before the Legislature, a number of farmers living near the line of Lyon County, remonstrated against its passage, and petitioned that body, in case it was deemed advisable to establish the separate organization, to so fix the boundary lines between Lyon and Churchill, as to leave them in Lyon County. To the Honorable. McConnell and the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Nevada:— The undersigned citizens and taxpayers of Churchill County, Nevada Territory, would respectfully represent that we regard the movements now making for the organization of our said county as premature, and calculated, if suceessful, to work a serious injury to the citizens and taxpayers of said county. We would respectfully represent to your honorable bodies that the voters within the boundaries of said county, exclusive of the soldiers at the fort, who pay no taxes, number only about 125. We would also represent that the taxable property of said county, as shown by the assessment rolls. amounts to only about $175,000. In case your honorable bodies should deem it advisable to establish the separate organization of Churchill County, the undersigned would respectfully request that the boundary lines between the counties of' Lyon and Churchill may be changed in such a manner as to include the ranches of the undersigned within the limits of Lyon County.
Buckland had a bridge over the Carson by the time these guys came around, but they built their own.
-History of Nevada, 1881

The residents of La Plata were fine with that, and they assumed the mantle of county seat in April of 1864. Buckland Station remained in Lyon county.

NEW ROAD AND SHORT CUT
Yesterday we met with Mr. John Day, Surveyor of Lyon County, from whom we learn the following particulars relative to a new road between Virginia-- or rather Corney's Station in the canon, and the mines of the Sand Springs Salt Company: This route, as surveyed by Mr. Day, is much nearer, and saves teams and passengers about thirty miles. The new road will be styled the Fort Churchill and Sand Springs Toll Road, and work thereon is being vigorously prosecuted-- fifty men being employed, who will build, grade, and compete the work before Spring travel shall commence. Already the bridge across the Carson, at Bucklands, has been constructed.
-Gold Hill Daily News, November 17, 1865

You had to be careful if you were heading to Buckland's Station.

THE CAMEL NUISANCE. -- Between this city and Fort Churchill are residing a couple of Frenchmen, who own a herd of 15 to 20 camels-- great and small-- which they allow to graze on the traveled or north side of the river, to the endangering of the lives of all who travel the road with either horse or mule teams. It is well known that horses and mules are always frightened at the appearance of camels-- mules in particular become perfectly frantic with terror, and are beyond all control if they come in sight of a drove of camels. Last Saturday afternoon Judge A. W. Baldwin and General Thomas A. Williams, while on their way to Buckland's Station, to hold their political discussion, came near losing their lives by their team taking freight at the camels, at a point where the road between the river and the overhanging bluff is so narrow that two teams cannot pass each other. Their team ran away, and it was only by the greatest good fortune that they escaped being dashed against the rocks on one hand, or being precipitated into the river on the other. -- Enterprise
Carson Daily Appeal, October 15, 1868

This was most likely his son Samuel Theodore Buckland, born in 1869. There are many Buckland's buried at Fort Churcill cemetary.

We learn that a little child of Samuel Buckland, who resides on the Carson River, below Fort Churchill, was burned to deth a day or two since. The fire caught while the child was playing with matches, and before assistance could be had, it was burned so badly as to cause death. The child was about two years old. - Carson Appeal
-Pioche Record, October 23, 1872

Buckland passed away in 1884, at 58 years of age.

Samuel S. Buckland, late owner of Buckland's ranch, situated two miles east of Fort Churchill on the Carson Sriver, died at the residence of his son George, in Dayton, Sunday morning, from softening of the brain.
-Morning Apeal, December 31, 1884

I had to look this up to see what they might have been talking about

SOFTENING OF THE BRAIN
Persons who are losing ther faculties from whatever cause are poken of as having "softening of the brain." Persons in deep melancholia, who cannot be interested inanything outside their deep and silent miseries, are in common language said to have "softening of the brain" when this is not the pathological change.
-Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, January 13, 1876

An 1894 U.S.G.S. map shows "Barnett's" where Buckland's Station was. However, with the demise of Buckland's Station, Barnett's ranch may have taken on more importance. According to the Nevada State Parks"

After the Bucklands' deaths in 1884, the property changed hands several times. Nathan and Amos Stinson kept the property until 1901. It was then sold to the Charles Kiser Cattle Company, which kept it for one year. When Mr. Kiser died, the property was sold to Lon and Charles Towle, who kept the ranch until 1917. Next, the D.C. Wheeler Company held the title for two years until 1920, when it was sold to the Garaventa Land & Livestock Company. In 1942, the property belonged to the First National Bank in Reno until it was purchased by Norman Biltz and E.L. Cord. Biltz and Cord then created a game management operation, the first in Nevada, called the Fort Churchill Shooting Club. Pheasants were brought in from California and released onto the property, but according to state law, only a percentage of them were allowed to be shot. In 1950, Biltz deeded the property to Mary and John Nash (his daughter and son-in-law). Next, Frank Ghiglia bought the property and kept it for 31 years. Buckland Station before the 1999 restoration The property surrounding Buckland Station was sold to Nevada State Parks in 1997, with the building included in the deal.
-http://parks.nv.gov/learn/park-histories/buckland-station-history

Buckland's Station is currently (2003) being restored. There are several outbuildings and corrals of various ages and conditions, both adjacent to the Station and across Highway 95.

UPDATE 2023: Went back to take a look at the inside. Park ranger was nice enough to let us see some of the unrestored areas. Folks, it's only a dollar to look around.