Fort Ruby was built in 1869 in the Ruby Valley, midway between Salt Lake City, UT and Carson City, NV. The fort's role was to protect the Pony Express and emigrant travelors from Indian raids. Fort Ruby was so remote and isolated, it gained a reputation as the "worst post in the West." The fort was closed in 1869 after completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.

When the site was first designated as a historic landmark, there were four buildings. Both were large structures made with logs set vertically into the ground. One was a barricks and the other was an officer's quarters. Sadly, both of these originaly buildings were destroyed by fire in 1992.

Only two structures still stand at the site. The first is a "spring house." This is a stone building partially set into the ground near a spring. The moist soil and thick stone walls kept the interior cool. It was used to store meat, wild game, and other perishables. The spring house was in ruins but has been carefully restored. The walls were rebuilt using the original stones. The roof was reconstructed using peeled, rough-cut juniper poles covered with dirt.

The second building at the site is a log cabin that was probably not one of the original fort structures. However, it is still one of the oldest structures in Ruby Valley.

I visited Fort Ruby in July 2024.