Bunkhouse

Originally constructed in 1905 in the small railroad town of Currie, Nevada, this humble structure began its life not as a home—but as the original Currie Station on the Nevada Northern Railway. As time rolled on and a newer station was built in Currie, the building was carefully relocated to McGill, where it became the town’s very first depot.

Such moves were not uncommon in early Nevada. As mining booms flared and faded, entire communities were uprooted. Buildings were often cut in half, loaded onto wheels, and hauled to wherever they were needed most. This building followed that nomadic tradition.

From McGill, the structure was later moved again—this time to East Ely—where it took on a new role as the office of the Chief Engineer. Despite the title, the Chief Engineer wasn’t a locomotive operator, but a civil engineer responsible for the vital infrastructure of the railroad: track, bridges, and buildings. With the yard as his domain, it made sense that his office was right in the heart of the East Ely complex.

In time, the building passed to the Track Department, who modified it by removing the rear wall and installing large doors to accommodate maintenance equipment. When the Nevada Northern Railway transitioned from a working railroad to a living museum, the building was left vacant. The roof began to fail, and years of weather took their toll.

That changed when a generous member donated funds to replace the roof—kickstarting the structure’s restoration. With additional support from the Nevada Commission for Cultural Centers and Historic Preservation, the building was carefully restored using its original plans.

Today, the structure lives on as The Bunkhouse—a cozy and functional space where volunteers and interns can rest, cook meals, and share their own railroad stories. With its original windowpanes still intact, this resilient little building has traveled more miles than most people, bearing silent witness to more than a century of Nevada railroading history.