Gardnerville in Douglas County, Nevada — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Kingsbury Grade

Photographed By Syd Whittle, July 25, 2009

1. Kingsbury Grade Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Dagget Pass Trail, named for C.D. Dagget, who acquired land at its foot in 1854, was earlier called Georgetown Trail. Replaced in 1860 by the wagon road built by Kingsbury and McDonald, for which they received a Territorial Franchise in 1861, it shortened the distance between Sacramento and Virginia City by 15 miles.

The road cost $585,000. Toll receipts were $190,000 in 1863. Heavy eastward travel occurred in 1860 to 1868. The toll for a wagon and four horses was $17.50 round trip from Shingle Springs, California, to Henry Van Sickle's Station near the foot of the grade. Van Sickle, who helped finance the road, eventually acquired it and sold it to Douglas County in 1889 for $1000.

Horse-drawn water carts sprinkled summer dust, and sleds packed winter snow, providing a year-round hard-surfaced road.

Pony Express and the line of the Humboldt & Salt Lake Telegraph Company followed Kingsbury Grade.

Erected by Nevada State Parks System and Carson Valley Historical Society. (Marker Number 117.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this

Photographed By Syd Whittle, July 25, 2009

2. Kingsbury Grade Marker

Old Kingsbury Grade Road can be seen in the photo.

Click or scan to see
this page online

topic list: Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the Pony Express National Historic Trail series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1854.

Location. 38° 57.93′ N, 119° 50.381′ W. Marker is in Gardnerville, Nevada, in Douglas County. Marker is at the intersection of Foothill Road (Nevada Route 206) and Old Kingsbury Grade Road, on the right when traveling south on Foothill Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1734 Foothill Road, Gardnerville NV 89460, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Cary Mill (a few steps from this marker); The Demise of Sam Brown (approx. half a mile away); Walley's Hot Springs (approx. 1.1 miles away); Carson Trail - Hot Springs (approx. 1.1 miles away); Carson Valley (approx. 2.1 miles away); Hiram Mott (approx. 2.3 miles away); Mottsville (approx. 2.4 miles away); Hanging Tree (approx. 2½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gardnerville.

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

Current Kingsbury Grade as it Heads Up to Lake Tahoe image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Syd Whittle, January 1, 1980

3. Current Kingsbury Grade as it Heads Up to Lake Tahoe

This Highway is Nevada Route 207

markers in the field as funding allows. Minor changes have been made to this marker for grammar, readability, and content. It is now noted that toll receipts were roughly $100,000 in 1863. The link will take you to the Nevada SHPO page for the marker with the amended text. (Submitted on October 25, 2013, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.)

Roadbed of the Original Kingsbury Grade image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Syd Whittle, August 16, 2010

4. Roadbed of the Original Kingsbury Grade

This view of the original roadbed is seen from the "Carson Valley" marker on the current Kindbury Grade.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 16, 2020. It was originally submitted on August 23, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. This page has been viewed 2,544 times since then and 73 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on August 23, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. 2, 3. submitted on August 24, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. 4. submitted on August 16, 2010, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona.