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What Was

According to the National Park Service, there are several sources identifying Williams Station as a Pony Express stop, with some also listing the station as Honey Lake Smith's.

After a considerable amount of torment from white settlers, some members of the Paiute Tribe decided they had had just about enough, and raided Williams Station in May of 1860, killing several. The result was the Paiute Indian War. A militia force was sent to teach the aborigines a lesson, but instead were lured into an ambush north of Nixon where 46 of their number were killed. Before it was all over, seven stations had been burned and employees killed.

From The History of Nevada 1881-

"A secret war party, numbering nine in all, had left camp unknown to the chief, under the command of Captain Soo. They reached the Carson River about sundown, at the place where James O. Williams was keeping a station on the Overland Road, ten miles northeast of where Fort Churchill was afterwards built."

Oscar Williams, 33; David Williams, 22; Samuel Sullivan, 25; John Fleming, 25; and "Dutch Phil" were all killed.

"On the evening of the massacre, the owner of the station, J.O. WIlliams, was camping a couple of miles further up the river, and thus escaped the fate of his brothers."

"The Indians camped on the bottom around the place until 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning, and then started across the eight mile desert for Buckman's station, intending to kill the owner, after whom it was named. They passed by the ranch of C.M. Davis without molesting him, and on arriving at daylight on the farm of W.H. Bloomfield, one of their number named ------, proposed to the band that they drive off the stock from the place and return to the lake without committing any further depredations."

Apparently it was rebuilt, because the History of Nevada 1881 remarks,

"1881 - In the fall, Wm. Gephard shot and killed an inoffensive old Irishman, who was helping to build Honey Lake Smith's station. He was not even arrested for the killing."

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What is

Lake Lahontan. The station was supposed to be visible in 1992, the final year of the six year drought. On the north bank of the Carson River about 1.5 miles west of The Narrows, almost mid way between Ragtown and Buckland's Station. Possibly, just off what is now Virginia Beach.