Christian “Chris” Brevoort Zabriskie was born at Fort Bridger, Wyoming Territory, where his father, E.B. Zabriskie, was stationed. Chris attended various schools while growing up and, at a very young age, worked as a telegrapher for the Virginia & Truckee Railroad in Carson City, Nevada. He was too restless and ambitious to stay in one place for very long and soon moved to Candelaria, Nevada, where he worked for the Esmerelda County Bank. As an active young man, one job was not enough to keep him occupied, so he soon branched out into other ventures, including a partnership with a local cabinet maker to establish a mortuary. Neither knew how to embalm, but it wasn’t considered necessary in a mining town, though prompt burial was.

Zabriskie’s life took on new meaning in 1885 when Francis “Borax” Smith hired him to supervise several hundred Chinese workers at the Columbus Marsh area of the Pacific Coast Borax Company near Candelaria. This marked the beginning of a lifelong career in the borax industry. He ultimately became vice president and general manager of the company and served in that capacity for 36 years until his retirement in 1933. During this time, the Pacific Coast Borax Company phased out most of its borax operations in the Candelaria vicinity and shifted to greater production in the Death Valley area.

Zabriskie died on February 8, 1936, just three years after his retirement. Zabriskie Point, on the northeasternmost flank of the Black Mountains East of Death Valley, is named after him.

 

©Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated October 2026.

Also See:

Borax Mining in Death Valley

Death Valley Mining Camps & Ghost Towns

Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Slideshow

Scotty’s Castle in Death Valley National Park

See Sources.