The site was known by many names. Officially, the U.S. Postal Service dubbed the site Bermond, establishing a post office there that operated from November 1920 to May 1926, with Frenchy as postmaster. The way stop was a favorite of prospectors, teamsters, travelers, and miners alike. It served as a community gathering place, rest stop, and watering hole. The restaurant, with Frenchy's excellent cuisine, was legendary.
In the early 1900s, water was a scarcity at Frenchman's and had to be hauled in from Lucky Boy Springs, another Bermond property, about twelve miles away. Frenchy paid freighters to bring in the water and charged for its usage. His now famous sign stood sentinel at the holding tank: "If you don't want to pay for this water, leave it alone."
Aime Bermond died in 1926 and the property passed to his wife, Rose. For a time she leased the place to Dude Gobin, who later sold it. Over the next sixty years, Frenchman's Station survived even the lean times under the direction of many owners.
During the last half of the twentieth century, the U.S. Navy's use of its Dixie Valley bombing range was controversial. Lawsuits abounded, with residents charging that low-flying aircraft and sonic booms disturbed the peace and productivity of the valley community. In the end, residents sold out en masse to the United States government. The Dixie Valley community settled back into desert dust and became just a memory. Frenchman's Station was among the casualties. The Chealanders, last owners of the landmark, deeded the property to the navy in 1985. The buildings were demolished in the spring of 1987.
Suggested Reading:
Bunny Corkill. Water Holes. In Focus, Vol. 17, 2003-2004.
Helen Carlson. Nevada Place Names: A Geographical Dictionary. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 1985.
