Humboldt River

"... And speaking of resting, there was a man slumped against #22. By his awkward posture I thought he was seriously hurt at first, but then I noticed a slight creak in his movement. He was a hitchhiker headed to Reno from Elko. Apparently the Humboldt corridor still harbors a fistful of weary travelers. Slumped, sleepy, or otherwise stupified." -- February 2008

[22]       

At I-80 Button Point Rest Area, 8 miles east of Winnemucca

Humboldt
  41.015860, -117.573780

Original Date Visited: 2/28/08
Signed: A double rarity! It's rare to see historic marker signage along any freeway in Nevada, but this one's signed with an original cut-out shield on both lanes of Interstate 80 before the off-ramp to "Button Point."

Notes: In recent years, there's been a bit of confusion regarding Button Point, specifically these two markers. Today, if you visit the rest area you'll find a jersey barrier completely spanning the on-ramps indeed validating this odd closure. What the heck is going here?

Well, to clear up this mess I spoke to a few colleagues at the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT). Of course, they being avid marker hunters as well, poked around for the answer and got back with me after about a week. Apparently, Button Point was closed at the height of Covid (2020) and has since remained closed due to state funding. The fact that Winnemucca is only eight miles down the road is the main reason noting the rest area as "unnecessary." Naturally, this also helps boost the economy of Winnemucca, which would've made since during the pandemic. The former Ely Rest Area suffered the same fate back in 2014 because Ely was only four miles away from that one.

So, all of the photos you see took place during my original conquering in 2008 long before the closure of this rest area. Today, you'll find the rest area eerily quiet with our two markers, 22 and 164. Fortunately, NDOT did not remove them so they still remain, and likely the only reason anybody would visit Button Point. Here's what you do:

* Use Exit 187 from I-80 and head in the direction of the "Rest Area." Yes, you'll see the sign repeatedly taped over with a "Closed" marquee, but the road is still open. Park at the jersey barrier and walk right in. Google Maps has even updated and removed the rest area from the map so all you see is the roundabout.

So, a ghost town rest stop? Why not. This is Nevada, after all!

TWO FOR ONE

This marker shares its site with - 164 - Button Point


Notice the size difference of both markers!

Street View

Here's what you'll see!

Exact Description:
First discovered November 9, 1828, by Peter Skene Ogden on his fifth Snake Country expedition. Entering Nevada near present Denio, Ogden came southward along Quinn River and the Little Humboldt River, emerging on the Humboldt main stem near this site. Ogden explored hundreds of square miles of the Humboldt's course, left records of his trailblazing in his journal and first map of the area.

Ogden gave the name "Unknown River" to the Humboldt at this time, as he was unsure where it went. Later, after the death of his trapper Joseph Paul, Ogden renamed the stream Paul's River, then Swampy River, finally Mary's River, from the legendary Indian wife of one of his trappers. In 1833 the Bonneville-Walker fur party named it Barren River.

Ogden's or Mary's River were commonly used names for the Humboldt prior to the publication of John C. Fremont's map in 1848.

The Humboldt was the only natural arterial across the Great Basin. It funneled thousands of emigrants along its valley en route to the Pacific Coast during the period of 1841-1870.

     

       

Did You Know ...

The Humboldt River is the longest river in Nevada?

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Interstate 80 Roadtrip
 COVERED IN MY I-80 ROAD TRIP

Next Marker

HUMBOLDT HOUSE

Related Links & Markers:

 - 23 - Humboldt House   - 45 - Humboldt Wells   Humboldt River Journal (Sweethearts)   Virtual Tour of the California Trail 

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