Widow Smith's Station facts for kids

Widow Smith's Station was an important stop for stagecoaches in southern California a long time ago. It was also known by other names like Major Gordon's Station and Clayton's Station. This station was part of the famous Butterfield Overland Mail route from 1858 to 1861.

Where Was Widow Smith's Station?

This station was located in a place called San Francisquito Canyon, which is part of the Sierra Pelona Mountains. It was on the old Stockton - Los Angeles Road, a major travel route. The station was about 4 miles (6.4 km) southwest of Elizabeth Lake. You could find it near San Francisquito Pass, about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of what is now Green Valley. Today, its former location is in northern Los Angeles County.

History of the Station

A building might have been here as early as 1856. A man named Harris Newmark mentioned staying overnight at "Gordon's Station" when traveling. The main building for the station was built around 1859 by Aneas Gordon.

In 1860, a newspaper writer traveling by stagecoach mentioned that the Butterfield Overland Mail was using "Clayton's Station" in the same spot where Widow Smith's Station had been. This shows the station had different names over time.

Other nearby stagecoach stops included King's Station, which was about 10 miles (16 km) south. To the north, about 13 miles (21 km) away, was Mud Spring Station.

After 1861, even though the Butterfield Overland Mail stopped running, other long-distance stagecoach companies continued to use the station. This continued until railroads became the main way to travel, which made stagecoaches less common.

Learning About the Station

In 1929, a photo and information about the station were shared in an article. This article was called "In Pursuit of Vanished Days" and was published by the Historical Society of Southern California.

Historic American Buildings Survey

In 1936 and 1937, the station was studied and photographed by the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS). This group records important old buildings in the United States. At that time, the station was empty and not being used much, except for storing farm goods.

The HABS team made detailed drawings of the building. They drew its layout, and what it looked like from the north, south, east, and west sides. The building was made of adobe, which is a type of sun-dried brick. Its walls were plastered inside and out. The roof was made of redwood shakes, which are like thick wooden shingles.

The Station's End

The old adobe station building stood for many years, even into the 1960s. However, it was eventually torn down and destroyed by 1966.