Sutcliffe
James Sutcliffe, a native of Rhode Island, arrived in Virginia City in 1862. In 1885, he and his wife Margaret established a stage station on the western shore of Pyramid Lake, known in the early days as "The Willows". In 1912, the Southern Pacific Railroad constructed the Fernley & Lassen Railway, and Sutcliffe became the site of a station and water stop. Eventually, the Sutcliffe's station evolved into a popular resort.
Passenger service ended on the F&L in 1934, followed by freight service in 1956. Nevertheless, Sutcliffe still functioned as a popular tourist destination and the Sutcliffe's Pyramid Lake Resort was joined by Fred Crosby's Crosby Lodge. Today, the town of less than 300 continues to draw fishermen, boaters, and beachgoers to the western shore of Pyramid Lake. The Fernley & Lassen's water tank towers above the community, one of the only physical remnants of that railroad in Nevada as the rails were removed in 1978.
