Nine Mile Ranch
Following the discovery of gold and silver at Aurora in 1860, "Cobb's Rancho" was established along the toll road to Carson City. It's position about nine miles from Aurora led to it eventually being called "Nine Mile House" or "Nine Mile Ranch". It was taken over by a man named Gardener, and during this time Mark Twain stayed there to take care of an ill Captain Nye. In 1870 it was taken over by Amos (George?) Green, who built the fine stone house from sandstone blocks quarried nearby.
Passing through numerous hands in the century and a half since, Nine Mile has continued to function as a ranch. Notably, it was owned by a philanthropist named Major Max Fleishmann in the 1930s and 40s, who installed an airstrip and improved ranch buildings. On December 28, 2016, a 5.7 magnitude earthquake shook the area and caused substantial damage to the ranch house. It's future remains uncertain, though it is now contained within the Walker River State Recreation Area.
