Deep Creek was the home of Howard Egan, the division superintendent for service between Salt Lake City, Utah, and Roberts Creek (near Eureka, Nevada). This well-equipped and service functioning facility was the most westerly station located within the present boundaries of Utah. The western boundary of the Utah Territory at this time was the California state line and Genoa the most westerly Utah Territory station.
Harrison Sevier was the station master. Buildings included an adobe station, house, and barn. The telegraph established a repeater station at this location in 1861 with George Ferguson being the telegrapher. The station site is presently on the ranch of Sidney (DeVerl) Nichols, Jr. Incidentally, Joan and Hilda Erikson paid for the last telegraph message to be sent from this station in 1869.
Located at the Ibapah Trading Post (which, at times, has fuel). Eagan laid out the road for that stretch and supervised its construction. Nothing remains. A monument (N40 01 47.0 W113 59 12.0) is a couple of miles south on the trail. This was the last station in the state.
(Expedition Utah)
In the noted English traveller Richard Burton's account, he described the site as "two huts and a station-house, a large and respectable-looking building of unburnt brick, surrounded by fenced fields, water-courses, and stacks of good adobe." Burton also noted that a Mormon named Harrison Sevier acted as the stationkeeper. Sources generally agree on the identity of this station, sometimes known as Egan's. Major Howard Egan, Division Superintendent of stations from Salt Lake City to Roberts Creek, apparently maintained a home ranch at Deep Creek, which produced hay, grain, beef, and mutton for other stations along the route. Substantial structures at Deep Creek Station included Egan's home, a barn, and an adobe station, kept by Howard Egan, Mathew Orr, and Harrison Sevier.
As we progressed the valley opened out, and became too broad to be dangerous. Near the summit of the pass the land is well lined with white sage, which may be used as fodder, and a dwarf cedar adorns the hills.The ground gives out a hollow sound, and the existence of a spring in the vicinity is suspected. Descending the western water shed we sighted, in Deep Creek Valley, St Mary's County, the first patch of cultivation since leaving Great Salt Lake. The Indian name is Ayba pa, or the Clay colored Water, pity that America and Australia have not always preserved the native local terms. It is bisected by a rivulet in which three streamlets from the southern hills unite; like these features generally, its course is northward till it sinks: fields extend about one mile from each bank, and the rest of the yellow bottom is a tapestry of wire grass and wheat grass. An Indian model farm had been established here; the war, however, prevented cultivation, the savages had burned down the house, and several of them had been killed by the soldiers. On the west of the valley were white rocks of the lime used for mortar: the hills also showed lias and marble like limestones. The eastern wall was a grim line of jagged peaks, here bare with granite, there black with cedar; they are crossed by a short cut leading to the last station, which, however, generally proves the longest way, and in a dark ravine Kennedy pointed out the spot where he had of late nearly left his scalp. Coal is said to be found there in chunks, and gold is supposed to abound; the people, however, believing that the valley can not yet support extensive immigration conceal it probably by "counsel."
At 4 PM we reached the settlement, consisting of two huts and a station house, a large and respectable looking building of unburnt brick, surrounded by fenced fields, water courses, and stacks of good adobe. We were introduced to the Mormon station master, Mr Sevier, and others. They are mostly farm laborers, who spend the summer here and supply the road with provisions: in the winter they return to Grantsville, where their families are settled. Among them was a Mr Waddington, an old Pennsylvanian, and a bigoted Mormon. It is related of him that he had treasonably saved 300 Indians by warning them of an intended attack by the federal troops. He spoke strongly in favor of the despised Yutas, declared that they are ready to work, and can be led to any thing by civility. The anti Mormons declared that his praise was for interested motives, wishing the savages to labor for him gratis, and I observed that when Mr Waddington started to cut wood in the kanyon, he set out at night, lest his dust should be seen by his red friends.
The Mormons were not wanting in kindness; they supplied us with excellent potatoes, and told us to make their house our home. We preferred, however, living and cooking afield. The station was dirty to the last degree: the flies suggested the Egyptian plague, they could be brushed from the walls in thousands, but though sage makes good brooms no one cares to sweep clean. This I repeat is not Mormon but Western: the people, like the Spaniards, apparently disdain any occupation save that of herding cattle, and will do so till the land is settled. In the evening Jake the Shoshonee came in, grumbling loudly because he had not been allowed to ride; he stood cross legged like an African, ate a large supper at the station, and a second with us. No wonder that the savage in civilization suffers, like the lady's lapdog, from "liver." He was, however, a first rate hand in shirking any work except that of peering and peeping into every thing; neither Gospel nor gunpowder can reform this race. Mr R--, the English farrier and Lothario, left us on this day, after a little quarrel with Kennedy. We were glad to receive permission to sleep upon the loose wheat in an inner room: at 8 AM the thermometer had shown 59 F, but on this night ice appeared in the pails.
The next day was a halt; the stock wanted rest and the men provisions. A "beef" - the Westerns still retain the singular of "beeves" - was killed, and we obtained a store of potatoes and wheat. Default of oats, which are not common, this heating food is given to horses: - 12 lbs of grain to 14 of long forage, and the furious riding of the Mormons is the only preventive of its evil effects. The people believe that it causes stumbling by the swelling of the fetlock and knee joint; similarly every East Indian ghorewalla will declare that wheaten bread makes a horse tokkar khana - "eat trips." The employees of the station were quiet and respectable, a fact attributed by some of our party to the want of liquor, which is said to cause frequent fights. Our party was less peaceable; there had been an extensive prigging of blankets, the cold now made them valuable, and this drove the losers "fighting mad."
En route again 3rd October
The severity of the last night made us active; the appearance of deep snow upon the mountains and of ice in the valleys was an intelligible hint that the Sierra Nevada which lay before us would be by no means an easy task. Despite, therefore, the idleness always engendered by a halt, and the frigid blasts which poured down from the eastern hills, where rain was falling in torrents, we hitched up, bade adieu to our Mormon host, and set out about 4 PM. Antelope Springs, the next station, was 30 miles distant; we resolved therefore to divide it, after the fashion of Asia and Africa, by a short forenoon march.
(The City of the Saints p 463-4)