Long after the railroads came to Nevada and the branch lines were extended towards the heartland of the state, horse-drawn stages transported people and mail from railhead to the hinterlands.

The principal routes were covered by such well-known lines as Overland Mail and Stage Co., William Hill Beachey Railroad Stage Lines, Butterfield's, W ells, Fargo and Co., Pioneer Stageline, Carson and Columbus Stage Line, plus other lesser-known lines.

Thomas Tate sub-contracted mail routes in central Nevada for over thirty years. In 1886, he and his wife established a station due east as an overnight stop between the county seats of Austin and Belmont. Stages met here and exchanged passengers and mail and obtained fresh horses. Tommy's wife fed and lodged the passengers, in what became a local social center. Ester Tate organized the first school in the area.

The Tates maintained this station until 1901. Belmont lost the county seat in 1905.