Category: Ghost Towns

Ghost towns are fun places to explore and commonly great destinations for a 4×4 trip.

Bullionville Nevada – Lincoln County Ghost Town

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Bullionville Nevada began early in 1870 when John H. Ely and W.H. Raymond removed their five-stamp mill at Hiko and placed it at this point. The enterprise prospered and during the next two years most of nearby Pioche’s mills were located here because of the proximity to water.

Bullionville, Nevada, Horse-driven slip scrapers retrieve tailings to dump onto a conveyor and then dropped into a freight car. Before 1880
Bullionville, Nevada, Horse-driven slip scrapers retrieve tailings to dump onto a conveyor and then dropped into a freight car. Before 1880

A twenty-one mile narrow gauge railroad, the Pioche and Bullionville, was completed in 1873 at a cost of $255,000 to haul ore from the Pioche mines to the reduction mills. Bullionville grew rapidly and by 1875 it had five mills, a population of 500 and the first iron foundry in eastern Nevada. The small town had the typical saloons, hotels and shops required to support mining operations as well as the needs of the minters.

During the same year a water works was constructed at Pioche which eventually led to the relocation of the mills.

Although a plant was erected here in 1880 to work the tailings deposited by the former mills, this failed to prevent the decline of Bullionville.

Directions

Buillionville is located about 10 miles south of Pioche, near the intersection of the 319 and 93, Great Basin Highway. The Bullionville cemetary is located after a short hike in the Cathedral Gorge State Park.

Town Summary

TownBullionville
Latitude, Longitude37.803333, -114.406944
Elevation5220
Post OfficeApril 1874 – November 1886
October 1892 – July 1898
Nevada State Historic Marker203
Population500

Nevada State Historic Marker

Bullionville began early in 1870 when John H. Ely and W.H. Raymond removed their five-stamp mill at Hiko and placed it at this point. The enterprise prospered and during the next two years most of nearby Pioche’s mills were located here because of the proximity to water. A twenty-one mile narrow gauge railroad, the Pioche and Bullionville, was completed in 1873 at a cost of $255,000 to haul ore from the Pioche mines to the reduction mills. Bullionville grew rapidly and by 1875 it had five mills, a population of 500 and the first iron foundry in eastern Nevada. During the same year a water works was constructed at Pioche which eventually led to the relocation of the mills. Although a plant was erected here in 1880 to work the tailings deposited by the former mills, this failed to prevent the decline of Bullionville.

Nevada State Historic Marker

Bullionville Trail Map

Resources

Wonder Nevada – Churchill County Ghost Town

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Wonder Nevada is a ghost town and mining camp, which is located about 14 miles north of the US 50, in Churchill County, Nevada. In May of 1906, prospectors discovered veins of rich quarts in a wash just north of the Chalf Mountains. News of the discovery spread like wild fire and by June 1, 1906 with town of Wonder was founded by hundred of people seeking opportunity.

The Wonder mining camp, Nevada 1907.
The Wonder mining camp, Nevada 1907.

Tents and buildings are soon constructed to house and service the influx of people. The Wonder Mining News was soon sold by news boys in the fledgling town promoting the town to further heights. Drug stores, saloons, hotels, assay offices, cafes, sporting houses and boarding houses were soon constructed on business lots which could costs up to $8000 to purchase. A stage line pulled by a 6 horse team ferried passengers to Fallon and Fairview.

Small shops sold mining equipment and real estate while industrious pioneers setup food counters and sold beans, eggs, jerky, ham and canned goods. The town of Wonder also could boast a telephone system and electrical supply.

Wonder Mine 1907 - Stanley W. Paher, Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps, (1970) p 100
Wonder Mine 1907 – Stanley W. Paher, Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps, (1970) p 100

Investment Capital from the east poured into the fledgling town which included many start up mining operations. The formation of the Nevada Wonder Mining Company and its subsequent sale to investors formalized the development of the mining operations. By 1913, the Wonder Mining Company constructed a mill to process the ore immediately below the mine.

Lowest level of Wonder mine, 1907 - - Stanley W. Paher, Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps, p 100
Lowest level of Wonder mine, 1907 – Stanley W. Paher, Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps, p 100

Despite heavy investment and a flurry of activity, mining operations ceased in 1919 and by August of 1920, the post office closed. Small lease operations did continue for a short while.

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Logan City Nevada – Lincoln County Ghost Town

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Logan City Nevada, also known as Logan City, Logan Springs and Logans Springs, is a silver mining camp and ghost town located 12 miles north of Crystal Springs in Lincoln County, Nevada. The townsite was situated in Pahranagat District and can be easily identified by a cliffside of volcanic ash.

Water Rhyolites near Logan Springs, Nevada - NARA
Water Rhyolites near Logan Springs, Nevada – NARA

In 1865 rumors of a mountain of silver near the Colorado River prompted prospectors to venture out seeking their fortune. When this endeavor proved fruitless, the prospectors start the journey north towards Austin. On the return trip north and Indian quidded the part up the eastern slope of Mount Irish were a ledge of silver ore is discovered.

Buoyed by the discovery, the prospectors returned to Panaca to reprovision the expedition in Marth 1865. After returning, in June prospecting and exploration of the area was in full swing. This exploit is short lived, when the prospectors are chased from the land by the Native Americans in the area.

The fall of the same year, a permanent camp is founded in a pass south of of the mining claims. Soon over 100 miners arrived in the little hamlet, including William Raymond of Pioche. Building are constructed from the materials available, which is mainly stone. Water is provided by a small spring located nearby known as Logan Springs. The Pahranagat mining district soon had over 1000 claims to its name.

The population swelled to over 300 people in 1866 and by 1867 a post office is build. The ore was shipped east to a newly built mill located in Hiko, or two miles west to the mill in Crescent.

Interest in the mining district dried up in the following year of 1867 when it was discovered the ore veins lacked the depth for long term operations. The mining district of Pahranagat decline and closed by 1869. The miners of the little Logan City moved on to greener pastures, known as Pioche.

Town Summary

TownLogan City
LocationLincoln County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude37.609722, -115.392778
Elevaion6092
Post OfficeJuly 1867 – August 1871
Population300

Logan City Trail Map

Resouces

Fay Nevada – Lincoln County Ghost Town

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Fay Nevada is a ghost town and gold mining camp located in Lincoln County Nevada near the border with western Utah. The townsite is located about 24 miles each of Pioche at the upper end of the Fay Canyon at a high elevation of 6900 feet.

Fay Nevada - 1910 - The horseshoe mine is visible on the hill
Fay Nevada – 1910 – The horseshoe mine is visible on the hill

Gold is discovered in the nearby Eagle Valley District and the small mining camp of Deerlodge was founded. In about 1898, Deerlodge was large enough to offer a post office. This initial camp was soon abandoned in 1899 when richer ore is discovered about 1 mile north east of Deerlodge. The new town of Fay was soon founded

Fay Nevada - 1910
Fay Nevada – 1910

The town of Fay was named for the daughter of a major investor. The small camp had a barbershop, four saloons, stage service, general stores and a post office. The town hall hosted singers and orator on occasion to enlighten and entertain the population. The small town was organized around a Main Street which ran North and South following the canyon floor. The principal mine was the Horseshoe mine which operated a 90-tom mill. Later this mill was expanded to 120 tons.

The largest gold production occurred in the initial years of operation from 1900 – 1901. The town continued to have success until 1915. The gold mining town of Fay continued to operated until 1924 when its post office was closed.

Today, Fay can be reached from both Nevada and Utah due to its proximity to the state border. Today, there are few remains of the old gold town, and the townsite of Deerlodge has fewer remans.

Town Summary

TownFay Nevada
Latitude, Longitude37.9080190,-114.0699775
Elevation6926 Feet
Postoffice1901 – 1924
Population99 (1910 Census)

Fay Trail Map

Resources

Candelaria Nevada – Mineral County Ghost Town

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Candelaria was a ghost town in Mineral County, Nevada located about 120 miles south of Falen. The location may be closed due to another local modern mining concern.

Candelaria, Nevada 1876
Candelaria, Nevada 1876

The area first received attention in 1864 when Mexican prospectors discovered silver. However it was not until 1879 when European prospectors came into the area that it became a mining town. The Nothern Belle was founded in 1873 and was the towns most profitable mine.

Candelaria, Nevada c 1880
Candelaria, Nevada c 1880

The towns growth was limited by the amount of available water. Water is a requirement for both people and mines. The lack of water caused Candelaria mines to operate the stamp mills dry. This dry stamping process caused a fine particulate dust to fill the air, and many miners suffered from “Miners Consumption” as a result.

Main street buildings of Candelaria, probably in the early 1880s
Main street buildings of Candelaria, probably in the early 1880s

For a while, in 1875, there was daily stage service to Columbus Nevada. The Nothern Belle produced about $15 Million in silver. The town itself consistend of two hotels, stores, saloons, and all of major professions of the time, including doctors and attorneys.

Lack of water prevented growth and the populations dwindled. The post office closed in 1939 and 1941 it was truly a ghost town. Today the site is mostly destroyed by a modern mining venture.

Candelaria Town Summary

NameCandelaria Nevada
LocationMineral County Nevada
Latitude, Longitude38.1589, -118.0892
Nevada State Historic Marker92
GNIS857457
Elevation5,715 ft (1,742 m)
Post Office August 1876 – November 1882
– 1941
NewspaperTrue Fissure June 12, 1880 – Dec 4, 1886

Chloride Belt Dec 10, 1890 – Dec 24, 1892

Candelaria Trail Map

Candelaria Personalities

Christian Brevoort Zabriskie

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Francis Marion "Borax" Smith

Francis Marion Smith – “Borax Smith”

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Resources