Simpson Springs Station - on the Pony Express Trail - West Desert of Utah

Simpson Springs was a water source on the trail west from Salt Lake City across the desert regions. It was first called Egan Spring for explorer Howard Egan, but renamed Simpson Springs for Captain James H. Simpson following his work to establish a military mail route to California in 1858.

The site was undoubtedly used by Native Americans and possibly the Fremont Indian cultures due to its good water supply. The old river bed several miles west has provided evidence of indigenous activity.

Simpson Springs was established as an Overland Mail station by George Chorpenning for mule train connection between Salt Lake and Sacramento.It later became an important Pony Express, Overland Stage, and later, Wells Fargo stations on the trail through Utah desert. The station was discontinued after completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad in 1869. It continued to be used for local freight between Fairfield and Ibapah into the 1890s.

The location was used as a Civilian Conservation Corps camp in the late 1930s and early 1940s. In January 1942, the U.S. military established Dugway Proving Ground in the area, which was occupied by military personnel through World War II. The existing building on the site was built by the Future Farmers of America as a replica in 1975.

top photo: Andrew McAllister