Category: Ghost Towns

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

Broken Hills Nevada – Mineral County Ghost Town

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Broken Hills Nevada, c 1915. Ore sacks being loaded for shipment to the railroad at Fallon.
Broken Hills Nevada, c 1915. Ore sacks being loaded for shipment to the railroad at Fallon.

Broken Hills, Nevada is more a descriptive term than the name of a town.  Broken Hills began life in 1913 when two Englishmen, Joseph Arthur and James Stratford prospected the site and gold was found in the area.  After five years of effort, the founders of Broken Hills pulled only $68,000 of gold.  The two men sold their claim to George Graham Rice.

George Graham Rice
George Graham Rice

Born Jacob Herzig, George Graham Rice appears to have been a ruthless self promoter with a get rick quick financial strategy and a criminal history for forging checks.  The self serving Mr. Rice promoted the Arthur and Stratford mine, and sold shares of the property.  Mr. Rice is said to have invested $75,000 of stockholder money into the mine and produced revenues of only $7,000.

There was a stockholder investigation, however nothing was pursued as George Graham Rice was now a resident in state prison for mail fraud. George Graham Rice was also a player in Rawhide, Goldfield, Bullfrog and Rhyolite Nevada.

Today, Broken Hills is empty.  The buildings and people are all gone with the lone exception of a mine head frame. Broken Hills Nevada is located in Lincoln County, Nevada

Broken Hills Trail Map

Pine Grove Nevada – Lyon County Ghost Town

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One of the lesser known yet longest running gold mining camps is Pine Grove, Nevada.  Located in Lyon County, Nevada just East of the 338 highway .Pine Grove was founded in 1866 when gold was discovered by William Wilson and he founded the Wheeler Mine the following year.   Within a year the town grew to about 300 people and the site was named Pine Grove Hills.

Pine Grove, Nevada - 1880s
Pine Grove, Nevada – 1880s

A post office was opened in 1868 in the small town along with a newspaper. A two stamp stamp mill was built to process the gold and silver ore.

The town of Pine Grove grew to 1000 people by the time the 1880s came around and the three mills processed $10,000 in gold bullion in a week. At its height, the town was spread out over a mile. The citizens enjoyed saloons, three hotels, stores, assorted businesses to support the mining effort.  A dance hall was also built to keep everyone entertained.

The mining effort stalled in 1883 due to a depression in the United States. Work recovered, and the mines were again active from 1900 to 1910 with marginal results. Although there was some prospecting, mining ceased production for a final time in 1918.

The town continued to support a small population, however it finally expired in the 1930’s after over 50 years to activity.

Steam boiler, Pine Grove, Nevada, 1880s. The steam from the boiler supplied a small engine which powered a ventilation fan.
Steam boiler, Pine Grove, Nevada, 1880s. The steam from the boiler supplied a small engine which powered a ventilation fan.

Pine Grove Town Summary

NamePine Grove
LocationLyon County, Nevada
Post OfficeSept 1868-Oct 1869
Nov 1869-Nov 1912
NewspaperThe Pine Grove Chronicle ( 1872-1872 )

Pine Grove Trail Map

Resources

Columbus Nevada – Esmeralda County Ghost Town

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Downtown Columbus, Nevada, late 1870's.
Downtown Columbus, Nevada, late 1870’s.

Spanish miners discovered silver in the area in 1863. A small mining camp was established in the area which became Columbus Nevada in 1865. In 1866 a stamp mill was relocated from nearby Aurora. A quartz mill was opened at what was considered a prefect location, due to the proximity with adequate water.  

In 1871 borax was discovered and developed by William Troop in a salt marsh.  A swift reaction to this discovery saw four separate companies harvesting This discovery dramatically increase the towns importance and opportunities. The site later became known as the Columbus Marsh.

Columbus, Nevada 1870s - Stanley W. Paher, Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps, (1970), Howell North, p 427, Mrs. Estelle Funke Collection
Columbus, Nevada 1870s – Stanley W. Paher, Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps, (1970), Howell North, p 427, Mrs. Estelle Funke Collection

The town reached its zenith, when, in 1875 when the site boast about 1,000 people. A newspaper “The Borax Miner”, post office, schools and businesses where started support and profit from the population. During this time, the Borax plant ran continuously, 24 hours per day eight months of the year. There sites also supported a daily stage service with Candelaria and Fish Lake Valley.

After 1875, the Fish Lake borax planet was build by the Pacific Borax Company some 30 miles from the town. By 1880, the population collapsed to 100. 

As with many such mining towns, the end came quickly when borax mining ceased in 1881.

Columbus Nevada is located in Esmerelda County, Nevada.

Town Summary

NameColumbus
LocationEsmeralda County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude38.110278, -118.019167
Population1000
Elevation4560
NewspaperBorax Miner Oct 18, 1873; Feb 20, 1875 – Sept 15, 1877
(missing: Aug 14, Sept 11, Dec 24, 1875; May 27, Sept 23, Dec 9, 1876; Feb 10, Mar 17, Apr 1, 21, 28, May 5, 1877)
Post Office

Columbus Trail Map

Resources

Blair Nevada – Esmeralda County Ghost Town

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Blair Nevada is a ghost town and mine site located in Esmerelda County.   The town site is located a few miles north of Silver Peak, Nevada and about 19 miles west of SR 95.   The town was founded in September of 1906 when speculators flourished and mill owners imposed harsh mill prices in the town of Silver Peark.  

The Pittsburgh Silver Peak Mining Company founded a site just a few miles north of Silver Peak which was then named Blair.  Blair boasted the a 100-stamp stamp mill which was the largest in Nevada at the time.

U.S. Geological Survey outfit enroute Blair to Silverpeak. Silver Peak quadrangle. Esmeralda County, Nevada. 1912.

November of 1906 saw the foundation of a town paper, business district, hotel, saloons and post office to serve a population on 700 people.  The Blair Press, the town newspaper operated from November, 1906 to July, 1909. The Silver Peak Post moved from Silver Peak and was renamed the Blair Booster. This paper only ran a short time, from March – July of 1907 before it failed.

Blair Nevada - 1909
Blair Nevada – 1909

Mining continued until 1915 when  low grade ore sealed the fate of the boom town.  When the mill was closed, it was dismantled and moved to California.

Town Summary

NameBlair Nevada
LocationEsmeralda County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude37.7929865, -117.6492601
Elevation1407 meters / 4616 feet
GNIS855970
NewspaperThe Blair Press – November 1906 to July, 1909
Population700

Blair Nevada Trail Map

Nevada State Historic Marker Text

The Pittsburgh-Silver Peak Gold Mining Company bought the major mines in the area in 1906.  Land speculators at nearby Silver Peak bought up the land.  As a result, the mining company surveyed a new townsite north of Silver Peak and named it Blair.  The company built a 100-stamp mill in 1907.  The company also constructed the 17 ½ mile Silver Peak railroad from Blair Junction to the Tonopah & Goldfield main line.

By 1920, Blair was all but deserted.  The remnants of stone buildings and mill foundations are the only survivors of the once thriving, but short-lived, mining town.

STATE HISTORICAL MARKER No.  174
STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE
HAROLD C. HENDERSEN

Nevada State Historic Marker Summary

NameBlair
LocationEsmeralda County, Nevada
Nevada State Historic Marker174
Latitude, Longitude37.7811, -117.6345

Resources