Austin in Lander County, Nevada — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Reuel Colt Gridley

“Citizen Extraordinaire”

Reuel Cold Gridley Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Karen Key, November 23, 2008

1. Reuel Cold Gridley Marker

Inscription. This simple stone structure, opened to the public in late 1863, was originally operated as a general merchandise store by the firm of Gridley, Hobart and Jacobs. Gridley is best remembered for his 1864 wager which prompted the auctioning of a sack of flour for donations to the "Sanitary Fund," the Civil War forerunner of the American Red Cross. The flour was sold again and again throughout Nevada and California, then taken east and eventually auctioned at the St. Louis Sanitary Fair in 1864, in all raising about $275,000 for this fund. Gridley died almost penniless six years later.

State Historic Marker No. 119
Division of Historic Preservation & Archeology
Lander County Civic & Historic Society (Marker Number 119.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1863.

Location. 39° 29.367′ N, 117° 3.783′ W. Marker is in Austin, Nevada, in Lander County. It is at the intersection of Water Street and Reese Street, on the left when traveling east on Water Street. Touch for map.

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Marker is at or near this postal address: 247 Water Street, Austin NV 89310, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in andspecifically he Northern Nevada in Central Nevada. It is also in the American Mountain West.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: St. George's Episcopal Church (approx. 0.4 miles away); Austin Methodist Church (approx. 0.4 miles away); Austin Churches (approx. 0.4 miles away); Lander County Courthouse (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Pony Express (approx. 0.4 miles away); Austin Masonic and Oddfellows Hall (1867) (approx. half a mile away); St. Augustine (approx. half a mile away); Votes for Women (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Austin.

Photographed by Karen Key, November 23, 2008

2. Reuel Cold Gridley Marker

Photographed by Karen Key, November 23, 2008

3. Reuel Cold Gridley Marker

Gridley Store (1964) has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior & Austin Historical Society
2003

Photographed by Karen Key, November 23, 2008

4. Reuel Cold Gridley Marker

Photographed by Karen Key, November 23, 2008

5. Reuel Cold Gridley Marker

Photographed by Karen Key, November 23, 2008

6. Reuel Cold Gridley Marker

Looking inside through the window.

Sign in the Window image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Karen Key, November 23, 2008

7. Sign in the Window

Reuell Colt Gridley is said to still haunt his store which was built in 1863. Mr. Gridley is best known for carrying a 50-pound sack of flour from Austin to Clifton to pay off an election bet. He then auctioned the sack of flour over and over to raise money for the Sanitary Commission, a relief agency for Union soldiers. They say no good deed goes unpunished and while traveling cross country raising money his health took a tragic turn and his store was lost to bankruptcy as the mines had played out. He died in 1870 at the age of 41.
Code: C723

Credits. This page was last revised on November 24, 2019. It was originally submitted on December 22, 2008, by Karen Key of Sacramento, California. This page has been viewed 1,421 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on December 22, 2008, by Karen Key of Sacramento, California.