CP-06 Watercress Construction Camp

    Last Mortified:

    • Established: In 1910, by Central Pacific Railroad
    • Origin of Name: Named for the watercress in the stream near the camp
    • Miles from San Francisco: 699.8
    • Used by Railroad: 1910- about 1940
    • Railroad Function: A principal freight and siding for area ranches in early 20th Century; railroad documents of 1926 recorded corrals, a barn, a stock pond, a high water tower and landing platform; it was an important stop, since it was the only water station where steam engines could refill before continuing their journey
    • Historical Overview: Water was piped to the stop from springs to the north, where watercress grew, through wooden pipes; Artifacts and field investigations suggest that Watercrest was established when Terrace was abandoned, two miles to the east; early in the 20th Century; the Terrace waterline was rerouted to Watercress and south to the Lemay siding on the Lucin Cutoff
    • Location: 2.3 miles west of Terrace and about 5 miles east of Bovine
    • No population figures for this Northern Utah rail siding