Wightman Well & Hunt

Sources mention Wightman Well as a stop on the Wadsworth-Columbus Freight Route from 1873 until 1882, however it does not show up on the 1875 list of stations published by the Borax Miner in Columbus. Instead, that publication records no stations between Salt Well (Water Station) and Deadhorse Well.

By 1908, Hunt appeared on maps about 1 mile northwest of Wightman Well at Rock Springs (not to be confused with the station of the same name, just 8 miles away). It seems likely that this was a water stop for travelers between Fallon and Rawhide. Due to the natural spring here, it is possible that this was the location used by the Wadsworth-Columbus route for at least part of its existence. This location remained on maps at least as late as 1944.

Modern Wightman Well doesn't appear on maps before the 1950s, when it was labelled as Winter Sheep Camp. Today it is still used as a watering location for range cattle, and it now bears the name Bucky O'Neal Cow Camp. Wightman Well, also known at various times as Hunt, Winter Sheep Camp, or Bucky O'Neal Cow Camp, was a station on the Wadsworth-Columbus Freight Route located about a mile and a half from the mouth of Fourmile Canyon. This Freight Route was active from 1873-1882 and served as a connection from the Southern Pacific Railroad in Wadsworth to Candelaria, Marietta, Columbus and the surrounding region. The trip was about 130 miles and took eight days to complete (each way). Since then, it has been utilized as a watering location for cattlemen in the area.

Wadsworth-Columbus Freight Route, 1873-1882
Salt WellHuntCox Station

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