Nevada State Route 379
Encyclopedia
State Route 379 covers Duckwater Road, a 19.532 miles (31.4 km) state highway
in Nye County
, Nevada
, USA. The route serves the Duckwater Indian Reservation, connecting the community of Duckwater
to U.S. Route 6 at Currant
. The highway was formerly a part of State Route 20 prior to the 1970s.
. From there, the highway heads northwest about 15 miles (24.1 km) as it passes through Railroad Valley
. Upon meeting the foothills of the Pancake Range
, the route curves northward and then turns west again before reaching the town of Duckwater.
State maps show a road leading to Duckwater existed as early as 1919, although it was longer and followed a more north–south alignment. The route connected to State Route 4 (now US 6) southwest of Currant at the town of Butler's and proceeded north of Duckwater to a junction with State Route 2 (now US 50) south of Eureka
. This road was designated State Route 20 by 1929. In 1941, the southern end of the 57 miles (91.7 km) route to Duckwater had been graded. This portion of the SR 20 was paved and the remainder of the highway graded by 1956. (Another unimproved road, stretching north from Eureka to Carlin
via Blackburn and Palisade
, was also designated part of SR 20 in 1929. This northern section would be renumbered to State Route 51
by 1965; it is now State Route 278.)
The highway remained unchanged for several years afterward. In the 1976 renumbering of Nevada's state highways, SR 20 was altered. The paved portion of the road, from US 6 to Duckwater, was reassigned to State Route 379 on July 1, 1976; This change was first seen on state maps in 1978. The unpaved remainder of SR 20 was deleted from the state highway system by 1982.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in Nye County
Nye County, Nevada
-National protected areas:* Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Death Valley National Park * Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest * Spring Mountains National Recreation Area -Demographics:...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, USA. The route serves the Duckwater Indian Reservation, connecting the community of Duckwater
Duckwater, Nevada
Duckwater is located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Nevada, at about the same latitude as Sacramento, California. It is in Nye County, on the eastern edge of the Duckwater Indian Reservation, near the Red Mountain Wilderness. The city of Las Vegas is about 200 miles to the...
to U.S. Route 6 at Currant
Currant, Nevada
Currant is a small town in Nye County, Nevada. Settled in 1868, it was first a farming town with a small population. Its current population is 65.-Transportation:Currant is located on U.S. Route 6 at the junction of State Route 379...
. The highway was formerly a part of State Route 20 prior to the 1970s.
Route description
SR 379 begins in the small town of Currant, located approximately 52 miles (83.7 km) southeast of ElyEly, Nevada
Ely is the largest city and county seat of White Pine County, Nevada, United States. Ely was founded as a stagecoach station along the Pony Express and Central Overland Route. Ely's mining boom came later than the other towns along US 50, with the discovery of copper in 1906...
. From there, the highway heads northwest about 15 miles (24.1 km) as it passes through Railroad Valley
Railroad Valley
Railroad Valley is one of the Central Nevada Desert Basins in the Tonopah Basin and is ~80 miles long north-south and up to 20 miles wide, with some southern areas running southwest to northeast. The southern end of the valley begins near Gray Top Mountain and stretches north all the way to...
. Upon meeting the foothills of the Pancake Range
Pancake Range
The Pancake Range is located in east-central Nevada in the United States. The mountains lie in a generally north-south direction in Nye County and White Pine County. The Lunar Crater Volcanic Field lies at the southwestern end of the chain...
, the route curves northward and then turns west again before reaching the town of Duckwater.
History
Eureka, Nevada
Eureka is an unincorporated township in and the county seat of Eureka County, Nevada, United States. Eureka is by far the largest community in Eureka County...
. This road was designated State Route 20 by 1929. In 1941, the southern end of the 57 miles (91.7 km) route to Duckwater had been graded. This portion of the SR 20 was paved and the remainder of the highway graded by 1956. (Another unimproved road, stretching north from Eureka to Carlin
Carlin, Nevada
Carlin is a city located near the western border of Elko County in northeast Nevada, west of the city of Elko. It is part of the Elko Micropolitan Statistical Area. Carlin sits along Interstate 80 at an elevation of approximately . As of the 2000 census, its population was 2,161...
via Blackburn and Palisade
Palisade, Nevada
Palisade is located in Eureka County in the northeastern section of the state of Nevada, in the western United States. It is about 10 miles south of Carlin, and about 27 miles southwest of Elko. Although now a virtual ghost town, it had a rich history following construction of the...
, was also designated part of SR 20 in 1929. This northern section would be renumbered to State Route 51
Nevada State Route 51 (1960s)
State Route 51 is the previous designation for parts of State Routes 225 and 278....
by 1965; it is now State Route 278.)
The highway remained unchanged for several years afterward. In the 1976 renumbering of Nevada's state highways, SR 20 was altered. The paved portion of the road, from US 6 to Duckwater, was reassigned to State Route 379 on July 1, 1976; This change was first seen on state maps in 1978. The unpaved remainder of SR 20 was deleted from the state highway system by 1982.