Shoshone After Dark
By Jack Freer  |  Posted March 23, 2013  |  Shoshone, California

Shoshone is in Inyo County, California, located on the old Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad 14 miles (23 km) east of Epaulet Peak, at an elevation of 1,585 feet (483 m). The town was founded in 1910 by Ralph Jacobs “Dad” Fairbanks, a Death Valley businessman.

Ralph Fairbanks built the first Standard Oil service station in the area and he was also credited for saving tourists and prospectors who wandered into the desert. He also recovered the bodies of those who were not lucky enough to be found in time.

Shoshone is the southern gateway to Death Valley National Park being at the junction of roads leading from Baker, California and Pahrump, Nevada. The commercial district of the town includes a post office, gas station, inn, museum, sheriff’s office, bar and cafe. The population was 31 in the 2010 census, which was down from 52 in the 2000 census.

Shoshone is also the home to The Amargosa Conservancy. The mission of the conservancy is the protection of the land, water, and beauty of the Amargosa area. This region is located on the east side of Death Valley National Park in Eastern California and Western Nevada and includes the Amargosa River which has been designated as a wild and scenic river by Congress.