38.675061, -116.799184

The Stone House Ranch (Not to be confused with the Stone Cabin Ranch located about 30 miles SE) is one of the more interesting surviving historic sites on the old Belmont–Austin and Ellsworth-Ophir-Barley Creek Ranch transportation routes. It was established in the 1860s as a stage and freight station, generally identified in historical sources as Smith's Station, Stone House, or Widow Smith's. The large two-story stone building made it considerably more substantial than the typical freight station.

The station was associated with L.D. Smith (some other accounts call him Elijah but I could find zero documentation to support this), and it was already functioning by 1868, when an episode involving stolen amalgam from the Combination Company mill at Belmont took place there. The station was an important stopping point for travelers, freight, and stage traffic between the mining communities of central Nevada. Smith's career at the station ended violently: according to the established local histories, he was killed by one of his employees in 1869. His widow subsequently continued operating the station, giving rise to the enduring name “Widow Smith's.”

We know it was both a ranch and a stage stop as early as 1868.

On Friday morning last, at an early hour, says the Belmont Champion of September 2, Sheriff Ranney, being on his way to Northumberland, was overtaken by the Austin stage, the driver of which, George Kissinger, informed him that he had that morning taken on the stage, at Smith's ranch (about nine miles distant, on the Austin road), a box containing 250 pounds of amalgam, which was shipped by two parties, James Smith [presumably no relation to L.D. Smith] and William Brannan; adding his belief that the amalgam was stolen from the Combination Mill, where, until recently, the men had worked. Sheriff Ranney at once returned to Belmont, meeting Smith and Brannan, who were on horseback and had told the driver of their intention to stop at Miniums that night. Upon advising Mr. Bright, the Company's Financial Agent, of the matter, the latter made an affidavit upon which Justice Bowman issued an order for the arrest of the parties, which order was placed in Sheriff Ranney's hands for execution. The Sheriff, accompanied by Mr. C. O. Barker, chief clerk of the combination mill, started for Austin about 6 o'clock in the evening, which they reached early the following morning. Waiting in vain for parties to claim the amalgam, (which was at the Express office), the sheriff finally concluded to arrest the parties, which he did, and they were lodged in jail. A writ of habeas corpus was issued and the prisoners were to have been examined yesterday morning, with what result we do not now know. We cannot forbear expressing the hope that the prisoners will not be released without full and complete evidence of their innocence—and that if guilty the severest punishment will be awarded them. Smith, we learn, has been held heretofore in high esteem as a mill man, thoroughly understanding and attending to his business. In this connection—there seems to be some turbulent spirits about us just now, with a decided proclivity for stealing. The community will not tolerate such proceedings for any very great length of time, as certain parties may find out to their cost.
-Daily-Territorial-Enterprise September 9, 1868

Apparently, Mr. Smith was no stranger to the experience of being shot.

SHOOTING AFFRAY AT BELMONT.—The [Belmont] Mountain Champion of the 2d instant says :
Last evening, between three and four o'clock, a difficulty occurred between L. D. Smith and Mr. Farley, in which Mr. Smith received a wound in the right side, the ball passing into the abdomen . Dr. Deal was called upon to attend the wounded man and pronounced the wound very dangerous and probably fatal . Mr. Farley surrendered himself at once and now awaits his examination . Of the origin of the difficulty we can obtain no definite particulars .
-The Carson Daily Appeal, January 10, 1869

Less than a few months later, his luck ran out.

The [Belmont] Mountain Champion of March 6 gives the following particulars of the late homicide near Belmont: On Tuesday evening our citizens were again startled by the information that another homicide had been committed in this vicinity; that L. D. Smith, of Smith's ranch, some eight miles from this place on the Austin road, had been shot to death by one E. L. [Ephraim Lewis] Musick, who has been in the employ of Smith for a number of months past. After the shooting, Musick remained with the corpse while a Mr. Jones, who was accompanying Smith at the time of the occurrence, came to town and notified the Sheriff of the facts, who, accompanied by Justice Wilkin and others, immediately repaired to the spot and placed Musick under arrest. Justice Wilkin took charge of the body of Mr. Smith and had it conveyed to town, where, on Wednesday morning, the Coroner held a Court of Inquest upon the body. Later in the day Musick had an examination before Justice Wilkin and was discharged. From the testimony elicited upon the examination, it appeared that Musick was driving an ox team along the road toward Belmont, and when some five miles distant, at about half-past seven o'clock, on Tuesday evening, Smith rode up to Musick and leveled a double-barreled shot-gun at his breast, and exclaimed: "Now, G—d d—n you, say your prayers." Musick ran around the heads of the lead cattle and raised a double-barreled shot-gun and fired at Smith, the charge taking effect in his head, tearing the whole top of it off. This is about the substance of the evidence given in the case. It is to be regretted that a more full examination into the cause of this difficulty between Smith and Musick was not had. From all the information that we have been able to gather in regard to the cause of the difficulty which has resulted so fatally, we are inclined to believe the following a fair statement of the case. Musick holds a note for something over $400 against Smith, to secure the payment of which Smith gave Musick a bill of sale of an ox team, worth $800 or $900, with the understanding that Smith should retain possession of the team until the 1st of April, at which date the note becomes due, when, in case the note was not paid, Musick was to continue in the employ of Smith and drive the team, but when unemployed the team was to remain upon Smith's ranch and subject to his order. One day last week Smith offered to sell the team to some person, when Musick interfered and claimed the team. This exasperated Smith, and subsequently when Musick attempted to take the team out of Smith's possession Smith drew an axe on Musick and forced him to desist. On Tuesday last Smith and Musick were both in town. In the evening, while Smith was yet in town, Musick, acting, partly at least, under the advice of his lawyer, armed himself, went to Smith's ranch, took possession of the team and drove it off. Mrs. Smith tried to prevent Musick from taking the team during Smith's absence, but her efforts were of no avail. Musick started for Belmont with the team, and had proceeded some three or four miles when he was overtaken by Smith, who, in the mean time, had returned home, and learning the state of affairs, asked Mr. Jones to accompany him to Belmont; Mr. Jones consented to accompany him, but when they had mounted their horses he discovered that Smith was in possession of a shot-gun, whereupon he refused to accompany him unless Smith would allow him to carry the gun; but, upon being assured by Smith that he did not intend to get into any row he proceeded with him. When they had come sufficiently near Musick to hear his voice while driving the cattle, at Smith's request Jones remained a short distance behind, while Smith rode up to Musick, when the homicide occurred as above related. L. D. Smith was a native of Tennessee, aged 41 years, and leaves a wife and two children to mourn his untimely and violent death. His remains were interred at this place on Thursday last, and were followed to their last resting place by a large concourse of citizens.
-Daily Territorial Enterprise, March 12, 1869

During the 1870s the place continued to function as a transportation stop, but its role gradually shifted toward ranching as the stage network declined. By 1880, the historic record places Michael Corcoran at Smith's/Stone House as a rancher.

In Monitor Valley, there is evidence that Smith's station was by 1880 site of a ranch operated by Michael Corcoran
- History of Central Nevada: AN OVERVIEW OF THE BATTLE MOUNTAIN DISTRICT, BLM,1982

This illustrates an important transition throughout central Nevada: water, meadow, hay and grazing that had made a site valuable to stage operators also made it valuable for cattle ranching. Stone Cabin consequently survived the disappearance of the stage route by becoming a permanent agricultural property rather than simply becoming an abandoned station.

The property's later history is particularly important because of the Hooper family. Albert and Mayme Hooper operated the ranch beginning some time in the late 1920's, and UNLV preserves photographs showing them standing in front of Stone House in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The collection also includes a 1927 photograph of Albert's father, Tim Hooper, in Monitor Valley. An oral-history account by Mayme Hooper records that she and Albert lived at the old station house after their marriage and continued to operate the property as a cattle ranch. The Hooper period is especially significant because it represents a long chapter of Native American ranching history in Monitor Valley, rather than merely the afterlife of a nineteenth-century stage station.

Just a little bit off the beaten track, but worth a look. Lots of buildings and old corrals in various states of decay. The Stone House itself is not doing well.