Fort Ruby, also known as Camp Ruby, was built in 1862, during the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, in the "wilderness of eastern Nevada." It protected the overland mail coaches and Pony Express

Pony Express

The Pony Express was a fast mail service crossing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the High Sierra from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, from April 3, 1860 to October 1861...

, which linked California to the Union. It was operated 1862 to 1869.

It was located at the east entrance to the Overland Pass from Ruby Valley

Ruby Valley

Ruby Valley is a large basin located in south-central Elko and northern White Pine Counties in the northeastern section of the state of Nevada in the western United States. From Secret Pass it runs south-southwest for approximately 60 miles to Overland Pass...

, near Hobson

Hobson, Nevada

Hobson is a ghost town in White Pine County, Nevada, United States, in or near Ruby Valley. Located at an altitude of 6,020 feet , it lies at the site of Fort Ruby, a National Historic Landmark.- History :...

 on the west side of Ruby Lake.

It was declared a National Historic Landmark

National Historic Landmark

A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...

in 1961.

Two of the four landmarked buildings were burned in a fire in 1992. Also, since the "log structures were in poor condition when this site was designated as a Landmark, and they have been altered and deteriorated significantly since designation," continued landmark status is under review.