Washoe County's Deadman's Creek named for two ranch partners found dead in their cabin

Trail crossing Deadman's Creek

Deadman's Creek is located in Washoe Lake State Park, Nevada. Half a mile west of the park's visitor center off Eastlake Boulevard, hikers enjoy both the interpretive nature trail and Deadman's Creek Loop Trail meandering uphill and out of the riparian canyon to sagebrush slopes and rock outcrops with spectacular views of Washoe Lake, the Franktown corner and the Carson Range. During the pioneer days, these foothills of the Virginia Range southeast of Washoe Lake featured some ranchland in the shadow of the Comstock mining hills. A trailside information post summarizes Deadman's History:

Not much is written about the history of Deadman's Creek, but according to the book Pioneers of the Ponderosa by Myra Sauer Ratay, two partners owned a ranch in the southeast corner of Washoe Valley. On June 6, 1865, the two men were found dead in their cabin.

“There has remained an aura of mystery about the events and to this day the little green farm in Hidden Valley in the sagebrush covered hills is known as ‘Dead Man's Ranch.’ ”

Myra Sauer Ratay (1912-1999), born in Franktown, is known for—or should be rediscovered by reading—her books “Pioneers of the Ponderosa: How Washoe Valley Rescued the Comstock”  (1973)  and “Boom Times in Old Washoe City, Nevada” (1984); both once published by Western Printing and Publishing Co. of Sparks, Nevada [1-3].

Deadman's Creek canyon view with Washoe Lake and Carson Range in the background

Post summary on Tumblr: https://axeleratio.tumblr.com/post/185184575063/washoe-countys-deadmans-creek-named-for-two.


Keywords: Deadman's Ranch, mystery, pioneer era, chronicling, books, anecdotes, Myra Sauer Ratay.

References and more to explore

[1] Myra Sauer Ratay's Books:  www.ng-tek.com/nrgen/research/MyraBooks.html.
[2] Myra Sauer Ratay  Find A Grave: www.findagrave.com/memorial/13279810/myra-ratay.
[3] Myra Sauer Ratay, Memorial Service. Clipped From Reno Gazette-Journal: /www.newspapers.com/clip/23445969/reno_gazettejournal.