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

The Sutro Tunnel - Machine Shop

Photographed by Jerry Klinger, 2026

1. The Sutro Tunnel - Machine Shop Marker

Inscription.
The Machine Shop

The Machine and Blacksmith Shop was constructed in March 1872 as a frame building measuring 36 by 96 feet. It included offices for a draughtsman and bookkeeper. The machinery for the shop had been ordered earlier than construction due to poor road conditions caused by seasonal weather.

In the spring of 1873, a 36 by 127-foot addition was built to house a tin and copper-smith shop. This expanded facility contained more than 40 machines used for working tin, sheet iron, brass, and copper. A second story was added above the shop and used as office space for the draftsman, civil engineers, chief carpenters, and machine-shop clerks.

Initially, the shop's machinery was powered by on-site water, which was abundant. A water wheel located below the building provided sufficient power, with belts running upward to pulleys that drove the machines.

Later, a "Devoe and Dinsmore" Steam engine was purchased from the Lady Bryan Mining Company in Virginia City, Nevada. The engine had a 36-inch cylinder with a 127-inch stroke and a 12-foot-diameter flywheel. Before installation, it was fully refurbished and restored

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to like-new condition. The boiler, also purchased from the Lady Bryan Mining Company, measured 48 inches in diameter and 16 feet in length and was set in brickwork with a cast-iron front. This steam engine eventually replaced the water wheel as the primary power source for the shop.

Because the Sutro site was located several miles from other machine shops, such as the Virginia & Truckee Railroad shops in Carson City and the foundries in Virginia City, it required a full range of equipment capable of building and repairing machinery needed for the construction of the tunnel and air shafts. The machine shop performed many essential operations, including boring and turning pulleys, making pipe connections, cutting pipe thread, manufacturing valves and pistons for steam pumps, producing bolts and pipe, repairing engines and machinery, building two-ton dump ore cars and wheels, and operating a punching machine for iron pipe.

When diamond-drilling machines arrived from the eastern United States, they were assembled and tested in the machine shop.

The shop also produced a large quantity of tinware, including lamps for hoisting works,

Friends of the Sutro Tunnel

2. The Sutro Tunnel - Machine Shop Marker

lanterns, galvanized iron buckets, tank floats, roof plates, and casings for smoke pipes. Producing these items on site cost roughly half what it would have cost to order them from the outside manufacturers.

By the 1940s, a former Sutro resident recalled that the Machine Shop had fallen into disrepair. Like many other buildings at the site, it was eventually demolished as it deteriorated beyond repair.

Erected 2026 by Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation. series list.

Location. 39° 16.807′ N, 119° 35.005′ W. Marker is in Dayton, Nevada, in Lyon County. It is on Nevada Station Parkway. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Dayton NV 89403, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Sierra Nevada

and in Greater Reno Area.

It is also in the American Mountain West.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western

The Sutro Tunnel - historic site map image. Click for full size.

Friends of the Sutro Tunnel

3. The Sutro Tunnel - historic site map

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 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Mule Barn (within shouting distance of this marker); The Mill (within shouting distance of this marker); Sutro Tunnel (within shouting distance of this marker); Sutro: The Town (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Mansion (about 500 feet away); Sutro (approx. 1.1 miles away); Lifeblood of the Mills (approx. 2.8 miles away); Camels in Dayton (approx. 2.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dayton.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 30, 2026, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 30, 2026, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida. 3. submitted on August 31, 2026, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.