Schellbourne is located a half-mile east of Nevada 893 at a point three miles east of its junction with US 93N (43 miles north of Ely, Nevada.) Schellbourne is private property.
Called Schell Creek in the early days, this was a busy relay station after Senator Gwin of California prevailed on Russell, Majors and Waddell to extend the Overland Stage Line on to the West Coast. The stage line was already running from St. Joseph, Missouri to Salt Lake City, Utah. George Chorpenning and Howard Egan established a station at this site in late 1859. It served the Pony Express during its existence and the Overland Mail Company lines until 1869. Troops were sent out in the 1860s to protect the mail and travelers. After the Pony Express ended, the Overland Mail Company established its Utah-to-central Nevada district headquarters at Schell Creek in 1862-63. By the late 1870’s, the station compound had grown to a town of 500 persons. Stone and log buildings housed the men who kept the coaches and other equipment in repair. December 27, 1871 a post-office was designated Schellbourne to serve the area.
Stage trips were no picnic for travelers. Clouds of alkali dust, freezing cold in winter and stifling heat in summer combined to make the trip anything but pleasant. One traveler, upon arriving in Carson City, Nevada, reported four hundred bags of mail piled up at Schellbourne. A flood had created a swamp three miles wide at the upper end of Steptoe Valley between Schellbourne and Egan. One of Margaret Knous' 1 favorite stories of early White Pine County involves her father’s trip to Ely in 1905. Coming over Schellbourne pass, the stage was overloaded. Rather than unload the freight and take the passengers over, then go back for the freight, the passengers were made to exit the stage and push. What was the reasoning? Passengers were third class - whiskey was first class - and the cargo contained both passengers and whiskey.
Schellbourne was a mining camp for a short time after silver ore was discovered in the surrounding hills. By 1872 the camp had grown and included a blacksmith shop, livery stable, and a newspaper. W. G. Pitchford and William J. Forbes of the White Pine News at Hamilton shipped a press and material when the growing town demanded a newspaper. The first issue of the Schell Creek Prospect was in July of 1872. The paper lasted as long as the boom and was suspended in January of 1873. The old press and material were left to the mercy of the elements when the building was removed. Part of the material was later gathered and moved to Battle Mountain.
As with most mining towns, the excitement at Cherry Creek lured many away, sometimes taking entire buildings with them. In the late 1870s, a five-stamp mill was still working.
Schellbourne Ranch and Post Office served as a stopover on the Lincoln Highway. The Complete Official Road Guide to the Lincoln Highway, published in 1916, stated that Schellbourne was a ranch and post office. The 1924 Guide spelled the name "Shellbourne" and included the facts that it was once a government post on the emigrant trail and pony express route. Meals, lodging, drinking water, radiator water, and a campsite were available to the traveler. Schellbourne remained an official postal designation until October 15, 1925.
1. Margaret Knous’ father. Clarence A. Eddy, a lawyer, came to Ely to teach school in 1905. In 1906, and again in 1946 he was elected as District Attorney for White Pine County. He specialized in mining law. Margaret and her husband Ed are lifelong residents of White Pine County. Margaret retired from the county as Welfare Director and Ed retired from Kennecott Minerals Corp.
