Mormon Station State Historic Park in Genoa in Douglas County, Nevada — The American Mountains (Southwest)

The Prairie Schooner

Photographed By Joseph Alvarado, May 14, 2023

1. The Prairie Schooner Marker

Inscription. This type of wagon is known as a “prairie schooner.” Designed to be as light and agile as possible, prairie schooners were the wagon of choice for emigrants traveling across the California Trail. The name stems from the white canvas covers giving the appearance of ships sailing on the prairie from a distance.

Blue and Red Wagons?
You might envision pioneer wagons being drab colors of just natural wood, but the traditional colors of the prairie schooner were a blue box with red axles and wheels. This color combination originated with makers of Conestoga wagons on the east coast, which the prairie schooner evolved from. Green boxes with red wheels became popular as well in the 1850s, and some wagon parties even painted all their wagons in custom matching colors.

Mormon Station State Historic Park

Erected by Nevada State Parks.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Parks & Recreational Areas • Roads & Vehicles • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1859.

Location. 39° 0.223′ N, 119° 50.725′ W. Marker is in Genoa, Nevada, in Douglas County. It is in Mormon Station State Historic Park. Marker can be reached from Main Street north of Genoa Lane (Nevada

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Route 206), on the right when traveling north. The resin marker is mounted to the prairie schooner inside the stockade. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2295 Main Street, Genoa NV 89411, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Journey Through Nevada (a few steps from this marker); The Semi Trucks of the 1800s (within shouting distance of this marker); Douglas Seminary (within shouting distance of this marker); About Your Journey... (within shouting distance of this marker); Life-giving Nectar (within shouting distance of this marker); We Made It! The End of the Great Basin (within shouting distance of this marker); The Pink House (within shouting distance of this marker); John A. “Snowshoe” Thompson (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Genoa.

More about this marker. Inset Image:
Sketch done by Daniel Jenks in 1859 showing his wagon party camped in the Sierra Nevada. Note the blue wagon boxes.

Also see . . . Mormon Station State Historic Park. Nevada State Parks

"The site of Nevada’s first permanent, non-native settlement, Mormon Station was built in 1851 as a trading post along the Carson Route of the California Trail, providing much needed supplies to weary travelers crossing
Photographed By Joseph Alvarado, May 14, 2023

2. The Prairie Schooner and Marker
the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Today, the park is home to a reconstructed version of the original 1851 trading post that burned down in 1910 and a museum with original pioneer era artifacts."

(Submitted on July 26, 2023, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California.)

Mormon Station Historic State Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Joseph Alvarado, May 14, 2023

3. Mormon Station Historic State Monument

Credits. This page was last revised on July 26, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 26, 2023, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California. This page has been viewed 88 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 26, 2023, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California. 3. submitted on July 23, 2023, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California.