Dayton in Lyon County, Nevada — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Camels in Dayton

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, February 14, 2010

1. Camels in Dayton Marker

Inscription.
Camels were imported into the United States for military purposes in the mid-1850's. Lt. Edward Beale of the U.S. Army tested the animals for caravan operations in the deserts of the Southwest. The experiment was not successful and the camels were auctioned off. Some were brought here to haul wood and salt to the mines and mills of the Comstock. They were corralled behind this stone hay barn, known as the Leslie Hay Barn. Used extensively between Sacramento and Nevada points for some ten years, they were later abandoned to fend for themselves. Few were seen after the 1880's.

State Historical Marker No. 199
Nevada State Park System
Dayton Historical Society

Erected by Nevada State Park System and the Dayton Historical Society. (Marker Number 199.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Animals.

Location. 39° 14.326′ N, 119° 35.476′ W. Marker is in Dayton, Nevada, in Lyon County. Marker is on Pike Street near 2nd Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200 Pike Street, Dayton NV 89403, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Courthouse Site (within shouting distance of this marker); Dayton's School House - 1865 (about 500 feet away, measured

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in a direct line); The Misfits (about 600 feet away); Lifeblood of the Mills (about 700 feet away); Odeon Saloon - Billiard Parlour (about 800 feet away); The Road to Nowhere (approx. 0.2 miles away); Where Nevada Began (approx. 0.2 miles away); Carson & Colorado Railroad (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dayton.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. A series of markers documenting the Great Western Camel Experiment.

Also see . . . New Amended Text for Marker. The Nevada State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) recently updated the text of the roughly 260 state historical markers in Nevada. The Nevada SHPO placed the amended text of each individual marker on its website and will change the actual markers in the field as funding allows. Minor changes have been made to the marker for content. The link will take you to the Nevada SHPO page for the marker with the amended text. (Submitted on November 12, 2013, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.)

Camels in Dayton? image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, February 14, 2010

2. Camels in Dayton?

The camels may be gone from the hay yard, but their place is now occupied by Alpacas. In the background is the Leslie Hay Barn, which is the same building that the then-resident camels would have recognized as home.

The Leslie Hay Barn (1861), now Camel Barn Antiques image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, February 14, 2010

3. The Leslie Hay Barn (1861), now Camel Barn Antiques

Camels in Dayton image. Click for more information.

Photographed By Larry Gertner, May 6, 2021

4. Camels in Dayton

Online Nevada's article on the history of camels in Nevada.
(Submitted on February 17, 2010)
Click for more information.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 15, 2021. It was originally submitted on February 17, 2010, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 1,648 times since then and 21 times this year. Last updated on March 23, 2011, by Carole Wiseman of Dayton, Nevada. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 17, 2010, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 4. submitted on May 15, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.