Built in 1860 by John and Rebecca Gardner, the Dorrington Hotel was a stage coach stop on the Big Trees Carson Valley Road. The road was a toll road from 1862 to 1910. The hotel served as a depot for stockmen and as a summer resort. Known for its ice cold springs, the place was called Cold Springs Ranch until a Post Office was established. Rebecca Gardner’s maiden name was submitted to the Postal Department, and the town has been known as Dorrington since 1902.