Along a fault break where the mountains rise, these hot springs became a notable stop on the Carson branch of the Emigrant Trail. In 1862, David and Harriet Walley developed a $100,000 spa with 11 baths, a ballroom, and gardens. The thermal waters, ranging from 136˚ to 160˚, became well known as a cure for “rheumatism and scrofulous affections.” The property sold for only $5,000 in 1896, but continued to function as a hotel until it burned in 1935. Its former cool cellar remained in use, and in 1962 trial hydro-thermal power holes were drilled here as deep as 1,250', reaching a maximum temperature of 181˚.