Sandstone Ranch / Sand Stone Ranch / Spring Mountain Ranch State Park

Sandstone Ranch was added to the National Register of Historic Places (#76001141) on April 2, 1976.

From the national register’s nomination form:
This property is of state historical significance because of its location athwart several important trails and because of the part it played in the economy of southern Nevada over an extended period of time. By the mid-1830’s a campsite on an Old Spanish Trail alternate route through Cottonweed Valley had been established at the creek on the ranch site. In 1844 the area was visited by an exploring expedition under the command of Captain John C. Fremont of the U.S. Army Topographical Corps. The Mormon Trail, in use from the 1840’s until the early 1900’s, also passed through the ranch site and in the 1850’s the area was a stopover on the route between the lead mines at Potosi and the Mormon Mi^ssion at Las Vegas.

A survey party under the leadership of Lieutenant George M. Wheeler visited the area in 1869, by which time several ranches had been established, most importantly that of Bill Williams. Two structures graced the property at that time, a small stone cabin and a blacksmith shop. Williams ran a few cattle on the property to supply meat to the mining camps in the vicinity and raised hay, fruit and vegetables which were sold to camp commissaries.

By the mid-1870’s Williams had abandoned the property and it had been taken over by James B. Wilson who constructed a bunkhouse and added on to the cabin. Wilson continued the small-improvements on the property, most notably the ranch’s irrigation system and a small earthen dam. These latter improvements date from the 1890’s.

With the coming of the railroad in 1905, extensive cattle markets were developed in California and for the first time the ranch became an important cattle operation. Following Wilson’s death in 1906, his two half-Paiute sons ran the ranch, but made some bad investments during World War 1 and nearly lost it to creditors.

Wilard George, a family friend, paid off the mortgage in 1929 and gave the two Wilson brothers a home on the ranch as long as they lived. In addition to continuing the cattle operation, George attempted to raise chinchillas for his fur business. In 1944 George leased the ranch to Chester Lauck of radio’s “Lum and Abner” fame and four years later he purchased it. Newly named the Bar Nothing, Lauck used the ranch largely as a vacation retreat, although he continued to raise cattle and, in addition, opened a boys’ camp. Lauck built the main house on the ranch and the large reservoir to the west.

In 1955 Vera Krupp, the wife of the German industrialist, purchased the ranch. She continued the cattle operation on the 400,000 acre grazing allotment and lived there until 1964. In 1967 the property was sold to the Hughes Tool Company. Two Las Vegas businessmen, Fletcher Jones and William Murphy, purchased the property as a real estate speculation in 1972, but opposition from Las Vegas residents precluded the planned home and country club development. The property was subsequently offered for sale to the State of Nevada and the transaction was finalized in the spring of 1974. Guided tours and environmental education programs are currently offered on the property and recreational programs are currently awaiting the development of a master plan.