List of ghost towns in Nevada
Most ghost towns in Nevada in the United States are former mining boomtowns that were abandoned when the mines closed. Those that were not set up as mining camps were usually established as locations for mills, or supply points for nearby mining operations.
In Clark County, settlements along the Colorado River have been submerged underneath the reservoirs of Lake Mead or Lake Mohave.
Conditions
[edit]Ghost towns can include sites in various states of disrepair and abandonment. Some sites no longer have any trace of buildings or civilization, and have reverted to empty land. Other sites are unpopulated but still have standing buildings. Still others may support full-time residents, though usually far fewer than at their historical peak, while others may now be museums or historical sites.
For ease of reference, the sites listed have been placed into one of the following general categories.
- Barren site
- Site is no longer in existence
- Site has been destroyed, covered with water, or has reverted to empty land
- May have at most a few difficult-to-find foundations/footings
- Neglected site
- Little more than rubble remains at the site
- Dilapidated, often roofless buildings remain at the site
- Abandoned site
- Buildings or houses still standing, but all or almost all are abandoned
- No population, with the possible exception of a caretaker
- Site no longer in use, except for one or two buildings
- Semi-abandoned site
- Buildings or houses still standing, but most are abandoned
- A few residents may remain
- Historic site
- Buildings or houses still standing
- Site has been converted to a historical site, museum, or tourist attraction
- Still a busy community, but population is smaller than in its peak years
List of ghost towns in Nevada
[edit]Town | Other names | Image | County | Established | Disestablished | Status | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alturas | Clark | 1861 | In El Dorado Canyon near Techatticup Mine in the Colorado Mining District. | ||||
Aurora | Mineral | 1860 | Neglected site | According to published time-lines, Aurora's population suffered greatly in 1865. Only two mills were still in operation. In 1866 much of the town was leveled in a Great fire That burned most of the business district. A second fire followed in 1873, and by 1880 the population had dropped down to less than 500 persons. | |||
Austin | Lander | 1862 | Historic site | Clifton was still active in 1865 but when the mill closed in 1867, the town was abandoned. While Austin's mining activity was at its peak during the late 1860s ... | |||
Beatty | Nye | 1905 | Historic site | Around Indian Springs, Nevada. Beatty is known for two things, as a gateway to Death Valley and the ever-popular road trip stop, the Death Valley Nut and Candy Company. | |||
Belleville | Mineral | 1872 (1915) | 1892 (1918) | By the late 1880s pipes delivered water to Candelaria and allowed local mills to begin operation, reducing the need for shipping costs. Belleville could not survive the competition and was deserted by 1892. | |||
Belmont | Nye | 1865 | 1922 | Semi-abandoned site | Former Nye County courthouse in Belmont is preserved as Belmont Courthouse State Historic Park.[1] | ||
Berlin | Nye | 1897 | 1911 | Historic site | Preserved within Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park[2] | ||
Bermond Station | Frenchman | Churchill | 1920 | 1926 | The site was also known as Frenchman or "Frenchy's and later as Bermond Station from 1920 to 1926.[3] | ||
Blair | Esmeralda | 1906 | 1916 | Neglected site | The site of the largest stamp mill in Nevada (100 stamps), at the time[3] | ||
Bristol Wells | Lincoln | 1872 | 1905 | Abandoned site | By 1893, however, Bristol Well fell out of use. In 1900, a copper leaching plant was built to treat ore from the Bristol Mine, but it only operated for two years. After the railroad was completed through Lincoln County in 1905, Bristol Well wasn't used again. | ||
Broken Hills | Mineral | 1913 | 1940 | Neglected site | Broken Hills is a ghost town in Mineral County, Nevada. It was primarily the site of the mining operation of miners, Joseph Arthur and James Stratford from ... | ||
Bullfrog | Nye | 1904 | 1907 | Neglected site | Founded just south of Rhyolite, had a rivalry with Rhyolite. Rhyolite eventually won out before becoming a ghost town as well. | ||
Bullionville | Lincoln | 1870 | 1882 | Barren site | A reliable water supply supported milling in town until nearby Pioche built waterworks to supply water to Pioche mills. Afterward, Bullioniville was slowly abandoned.[3] | ||
Cactus Springs | Nye | 1910 | 1935 | Cactus Springs is a ghost town in Nye County, Nevada. It is currently within the boundaries of the Nellis Air Force Range. | |||
Callville | Clark | 1864 | 1869 | Submerged under Callville Bay of Lake Mead | Steamboat landing, County seat of Pah-Ute County, Arizona Territory (1865–67), post office (1867-69) | ||
Candelaria | Mineral | 1864 | 1939 | Neglected site | The Northern Belle mine produced 15 million dollars in silver during production.[4] | ||
Chafey | Dun Glen | Pershing | 1908 | 1913 | Was originally called Dun Glen.[3] | ||
Charleston | Elko | 1876 | 1956 | Abandoned site | Charleston is a ghost town in Elko County, Nevada, United States. ... It lies along the Bruneau River just south of the Mountain City and Jarbidge Ranger ... | ||
Clifton | Lander | 1862 | Semi-abandoned site | Just west of Austin. | |||
Coaldale | Esmeralda | 1894 | 1993 | Neglected site | Leaking fuel tanks forced closure of the gas station around 1993, and with no other reason to stop, the place folded. Sometime in the mid 2000's the restaurant mysteriously caught fire. Over the years, a number of people were involved in what would be known in later years as Coaldale. | ||
Cobre | Elko | By 1937, only about 20 people lived in Cobre, and in November 1948 the Southern Pacific abandoned the station. Ore shipments continued through Cobre until June 20, 1983, when the smelter at McGill closed. Today, not much remains of Cobre and a large cinderblock engine house from the 1960s dominates the site. | |||||
Colorado City | Clark | 1861 | Submerged under Lake Mohave | Steamboat landing near the mouth of El Dorado Canyon in the Colorado Mining District. | |||
Columbus | Esmerelda | 1865 | 1881 | Neglected site | |||
Como | Lyon | 1861 | 1930s | Post office 1879–1881, 1903–1905; mining town occupied intermittently, activity finally ceasing in the 1930s after the closing of a sawmill.[3] | |||
Cortez | Lander | 1863 | 1930 | George Hearst mined at the area in the 1860s. | |||
Crystal Springs | Lincoln | ||||||
Currant | Nye | 1865 | 1871 | ||||
Daveytown | Humboldt | 1910 | 1930 | ||||
Deeth | Elko | 1869 | 1915 | A depot and trading center for local ranchers and ranchers from adjacent counties. | |||
Delamar | Lincoln | 1890 | 1909 | In 1897, Delamar had a population of 3000.[3] | |||
Delano | Elko | 1872 | 1927 | The town was the site of a small gold-mining district that saw production from the 1870s to the 1960s. | |||
Dixie Valley | Churchill | 1861 | |||||
Dun Glen | Pershing | 1862 | 1894 | Later became Chafey.[3] | |||
Eagleville | Mineral | 1885 | 1915 | Neglected site | |||
El Dorado City | Clark | 1863 | 1880s | Barren site | Mining camp in El Dorado Canyon in the Colorado Mining District. Site of the El Dorado Mills. | ||
Etna | Pershing | 1865 | 1872 | ||||
Fairview | Churchill | 1905 | 1919 | At its height, Fairview had 27 saloons.[3] | |||
Fish Lake Valley | Esmeralda | ||||||
Flanigan | Washoe | 1909 | 1973 | ||||
Fort Churchill | Lyon | Preserved within Fort Churchill State Historic Park[5] | |||||
Frenchman | Churchill | 1906 | 1920 | The site was also known as Frenchy's and later as Bermond Station 1920–26[3] | |||
Genoa | Mormon Station | Douglas | 1851 | Historic site | Originally called Mormon Station. Now part of Mormon Station State Historic Park | ||
Golconda | Humboldt | 1869 | 1908 | Semi-abandoned town | Golconda's hot springs were a famous landmark for westbound travelers.[3] | ||
Gold Center | Nye | 1904 | 1919 | Barren site | The origin of Gold Center’s name is a mystery, for it was not the center of anything and it had no gold. It was a critical water source for nearby Bullfrog and Rhyolite and at one time had a large brewery and the only distilled water ice plant in Nevada. | ||
Gold Point | Esmeralda | ||||||
Goldfield | Esmeralda | 1902 | Semi-abandoned town | ||||
Goodsprings | Clark | 1900 | |||||
Grantsville | Nye | ||||||
Hamilton | Cave City | White Pine | 1868 | 1931 | Hamilton was originally called Cave City, because early arrivals set up camp in nearby caves.[3] | ||
Hardin City | Humboldt | 1858 | 1866 | Neglected | |||
Hiko | Lincoln | 1865 | 1882 | Semi-abandoned town | Hiko was a Native American expression meaning "white man's town".[3] | ||
Ione | Nye | 1863 | 1930s | At its peak, Ione had 100 houses and a population of 500.[3] | |||
Jacobsville | Lander | 1859 | Late 1870s | A Pony Express station and the first seat of Lander County. | |||
Jarbidge | Elko | 1909 | |||||
Jessup | Churchill | 1908 | |||||
Johnnie | Nye | 1890 | 1935 | Barren site | Water in town was scarce. It was drawn from a spring four miles away, packed in canvas bags, and hauled to town by donkeys.[3] | ||
Johntown | Lyon | 1853 | 1860s | Barren site | Considered to be the first ghost town of Nevada.[6] | ||
Jungo | Humboldt | 1911 | 1952 | Barren | Post office from January 1911 until May 1952[7] | ||
Lahontan City | Churchill | 1911 | 1915 | Neglected | Developed to house workers during the construction of Lahontan Dam[8] | ||
Lander | Lander | 1880 | 1921 | ||||
Logan | Lincoln | 1865 | 1930 | ||||
Louisville | Clark | 1861 | 1862 | In El Dorado Canyon near the Techatticup Mine in the Colorado Mining District. | |||
Lucky Jim Camp | Clark | 1862 | Barren site | In El Dorado Canyon near the Techatticup Mine in the Colorado Mining District. | |||
Marietta | Mineral | 1867 | 1894 | Neglected site | |||
Mazuma | Pershing | 1907 | 1912 | Post office: 1907–1912. Site of flash flood that killed at least eight and destroyed most of the town.[3] | |||
Metropolis | Elko | 1909 | |||||
Midas | Gold Circle | Elko | 1908 | 1942 | The camp was first called Gold Circle, but when the post office was established in 1907, officials decided that Nevada had too many towns with "gold" in their names, and the town was renamed Midas.[3] | ||
Millers | Esmeralda | ||||||
Miriam | Churchill | Non-agency station of the SPRR[9] | |||||
Mountain City | Elko | 1870 | Semi-abandoned town | ||||
Nevada City | Churchill | 1916 | 1919 | A co-operative colony | |||
Ocala | Churchill | ||||||
Osceola | White Pine | ||||||
Palisade | Eureka | 1868 | 1910 | ||||
Palmetto | Esmeralda | 1866 | 1920s | Neglected site | Miners named the town after local Joshua trees, which they thought were related to the palmetto tree. | ||
Parran | Churchill | 1910 | A telegraph station and post office. Post office closed 1913.[10] | ||||
Pine Grove | Lyon | 1866 | 1918 | Abandoned site | Several buildings remain.[4] | ||
Pioneer | Nye | 1908 | 1931 | Barren site | Post office 1909–1931 | ||
Poeville | Washoe | 1864 | 1880 | Post office 1874–1878 | |||
Potosi | Clark | Barren site | |||||
Quartz Mountain | Nye | 1905 | 1922 | Barren site | Located inside the Nellis Air Force Base Bombing and Gunnery Range. | ||
Ragtown | Churchill | 1854 | Leeteville may be the same location. | ||||
Rawhide | Mineral | 1907 | Barren site | Rawhide Mining Co. has destroyed any remains of the town. Now it is just an open pit mine. Devastating fire in 1908, $1 million in property damage and thousands left homeless.[3] | |||
Rhyolite | Nye | 1905[11] | 1916 | Abandoned site | Post office closed 1913 | ||
Rio Tinto | Elko | 1932 | 1948 | A few houses and the school remain. | |||
Rioville | Junction City | Clark | 1869 | 1906 | Site is now under Lake Mead. | Originally Junction City, Rioville had a post office from 1881 to 1906. | |
Rochester | Pershing | 1912 | 1942 | ||||
Ruby Hill | Eureka | 1873 | 1910 | ||||
Ruth | White Pine | ||||||
Saint Joseph | Clark | 1865 | 1868 | Barren | Site located west of the north end of Overton Airport and east of the Muddy River. It burned down in 1868. Town name and population moved to what is now Logandale. | ||
St. Thomas | Clark | Submerged beneath Lake Mead. Ruins became visible when the waters of the lake were lowered. | |||||
Salt Wells | Churchill | 2007 | Site of a borax plant, bar, gas station and former brothel | ||||
San Juan | Clark | 1862 | The camp was abandoned just weeks after being established.[3] | ||||
Scossa | Pershing | 1931 | 1937 | One of the last important mining camps in Nevada.[3] | |||
Seven Troughs | Pershing | 1907 | 1918 | ||||
Silver Canyon | Lincoln | ||||||
Simonsville | Clark | 1865 | 1870s | Barren | Originally called Mill Point, located west of the south end of Overton Airport and east of the Muddy River. | ||
Spruce Mountain | Elko | ||||||
Star City | Pershing | ||||||
Stillwater | Churchill | 1862 | |||||
Sulphur | Humboldt | Neglected | |||||
Tempiute | Lincoln | 1868 | 1957 | In the 1950s, the Lincoln mine was one of the primary producers of tungsten in the U.S.[3] | |||
Tenabo | Lander | 1907 | 1930s | ||||
Treasure City | White Pine | 1869 | |||||
Tybo | Nye | ||||||
Unionville | Pershing | Semi-abandoned town | |||||
Vernon | Pershing | 1905 | |||||
Vya | Washoe | ||||||
Washoe City | Washoe | 1860 | 1910s | Neglected site | |||
White Cloud City | Churchill | Also known as Coppereid | |||||
White Plains | Churchill | 1879 | 1909 | "No vegetation meets the eye when gazing on the vast expanse of dirty white alkali."[12] | |||
Wonder | Churchill | 1906 | Post office closed 1920 |
References
[edit]- ^ Belmont Courthouse State Historic Park Archived 2012-02-15 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Historic Park | State Parks". parks.nv.gov. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Paher, Stanley W (1970). Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps. Howell North.
- ^ a b "Candelaria". Western mining history. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
- ^ "Fort Churchill State Historic Park | State Parks". parks.nv.gov. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
- ^ "Johntown, the first ghost town in Nevada". Sparks Tribune. July 29, 2017. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
- ^ "Jungo Post Office (historical)". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. September 1, 1991. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
- ^ Lahontan City
- ^ Carlson, Helen S. (1985). Nevada place names : a geographical dictionary. Reno: University of Nevada Press. p. 169. ISBN 087417094X.
- ^ Carlson, Helen S. (1985). Nevada place names : a geographical dictionary. Reno: University of Nevada Press. p. 187. ISBN 087417094X.
- ^ "The Most Haunted Ghost Towns". United States Ghost Towns. November 21, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
- ^ Carlson, Helen S. (1985). Nevada place names : a geographical dictionary. Reno: University of Nevada Press. p. 245. ISBN 087417094X.
External links
[edit]- Forgotten Nevada - Abandoned and historical sites in Nevada. Pictures and directions
- Southern Nevada: The Boomtown Years 1900-1925