"(#21) This location hurts this important piece of history. As it stands now, I doubt anybody will find it, let alone the more numerous out-of-towner. This one would be better placed at the irrigation fields at the west end of town along the frontage road for two reasons ... one, it can better represent the canals of Winnemucca. And two, so we can better find the darned thing!" -- February 2008

East Winnemucca Blvd and the I-80 off ramp - East Winnemucca

Humboldt
40.982002, -117.726821

Original Date Visited: 2/28/08
Signed: Original cut-out shield (severely faded!) Eastbound lane of Old US 40/Winnemucca Blvd

Notes: NDOT thought it was a good idea to place signage on the eastbound lane of Winnemucca Blvd, the main street of Winnemucca. While this is a fine idea, the sign's placement sits at least a half-mile before the actual marker! The coming intersections just past the sign are extremely confusing which could initially throw anybody off onto these side streets, or worse yet, onto the on-ramp for I-80, thus completely bypassing the marker. No. Do not get onto Interstate 80!

Save yourself the confusion and keep heading straight beneath the interstate. The marker will be on your right just past the northbound off-ramp. This one leaves a lot to be desired and for the sake of eliminating confusion, Marker 21 would be much better placed west of town along Old US 40/SR 289. Here, you'll find a series of former canals from the Humboldt River better representative for this marker.

Here's what you'll see!

Marker 21 and its odd location below the interstate. This one would be better placed on the outskirts of town The Humboldt River as it appears in Winnemucca

Exact Description:
The Humboldt Canal, sometimes termed the Old French Canal, coursed southwestward from Preble, near Golconda, toward Mill City. The present highway crossed it at this point, from whence it ran southerly toward the Humboldt County Courthouse on Bridge and West Fifth Streets.

The canal was conceived in 1862 by A. Gintz and Joseph Ginaca. The waterway, with a projected cost of $160,000, was to be 66 miles long, 15 feet wide and three feet deep, and with a fall of 35 feet. Its primary purpose was to supply water for over 40 stamp mills planned at the above Mill City, but it was also designed for barge traffic and some irrigation water supply.

Construction of the canal began in 1863. Louis Lay, a French emigrant from California, sub- contracted the first segment. Winnemucca city founder Frank Baud, another Frenchman, came on the project as a teamster.

About $100,000, largely French capital, was expended in building the Humboldt Canal to the Winnemucca area. Because of engineering errors and severe seepage problems between Winnemucca and Mill City, that section was never completed or used.

Several portions of the old canal are still visible in the Golconda area, in various sections of Winnemucca, and at Rose Creek, south of the city.