Fort Churchill State Historic Park Fort Churchill State Historic Park is a state park of Nevada , USA , preserving the remains of a United States Army fort and a waystation on the Pony Express and Central Overland Route s dating back to the 1860s . A 1994 addition forms a corridor along the Carson River . The park is in Lyon County south of the town of Silver Springs . Fort Churchill is one of seven National Historic Landmarks in Nevada . The site is one end of the historic Fort Churchill and Sand Springs Toll Road . It is located on U . S . Route 95 Alternate , south of U . S . Route 50 . Fort Churchill . Fort history . In 1860 a band of Paiutes and Bannock s attacked Williams Station along the Carson River in retaliation for the kidnap and rape of two young Paiute girls by the proprietors of the station . In retaliation a small group of volunteer soldiers and vigilantes led by Maj . William Ormsby attacked the Native Americans , starting the so - called Pyramid Lake War . Ormsby ' s force was defeated and in response Colonel John C . Hays and Captain Joseph Stewart led a larger force of volunteers and U . S . Regulars to defeat the Natives at the Second Battle of Pyramid Lake . Captain Stewart , leading the Regular contingent , afterward established a permanent U . S . Army fort along the Carson River near the location of where the hostilities began at Williams Station . The post was named Fort Churchill for Sylvester Churchill , Inspector General of the U . S . Army . Construction on the fort began on July 20 , 1860 and was completed in 1861 . Built to provide protection for early settlers and the mail route along the Pony Express , the fort became an important supply depot for the Union Army during the American Civil War . Average strength during this time was 200 soldiers , but the post was abandoned in 1869 shortly after the conclusion of the Civil War . The abandoned buildings were sold at an auction for $ 750 after the state of Nevada declined to take possession of the property . State park . On October 6 , 1932 , the state took control of the but two years later deeded the property to a local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution . With aid from the National Park Service , the fort ruins were partially restored to a state of arrested decay , and the Civilian Conservation Corps built the current visitor center . On February 16 , 1961 , the fort and surrounding property were once again acquired by the state for the proclamation of a state historic site ; it was declared a National Historic Landmark the same year . Carson River Ranches . In 1994 , the state park service acquired along the Carson River , east of the fort and Buckland Station . This corridor connects Fort Churchill with Lahontan State Recreation Area and provides habitat for diverse plants and wildlife . It is popular with campers , hikers , birdwatchers , canoeists , hunters and equestrians . Buckland Station . Samuel S . Buckland came to the area in 1859 to begin ranching . His ranch served as an important way station along the Central Overland Route . The Pony Express also had a change of mounts at the ranch . When Fort Churchill was abandoned and being dismantled , Buckland salvaged materials to build the current two - story building seen today . The state park added this building to the Fort Churchill State Historic Site in 1997 . Park facilities . The Visitor Center has exhibits on the history of Fort Churchill , Native Americans that inhabited the area , and natural features of the surrounding countryside . Within the Fort Churchill unit is a 20 - site campground situated along the Carson River within a grove of cottonwood trees with an adjacent group - camp and day - use picnic areas . There is a primitive camp further along the Carson River in the Carson River Ranches unit . Hiking trails include a self - guided trail around the fort ruins with interpretive signs explaining each of the buildings . The Orchard Trail runs along the Carson River from the campground to Buckland Station . A continuation of this trail runs the length of the Carson River in the Carson River Ranches unit . Twice a year the Nevada Civil War Volunteers put on a civil war encampment at Fort Churchill .