Points of Interest Archives - Page 31 of 54

Diamond Valley Nevada

Posted on January 23, 2022 by Destination4x4

Diamond Valley Nevada is Nevada State Historical Marker number eighty two and is located in Eureka County, Nevada. The location is a valley basin between the Sulphur Spring Range and the Diamond Mountains of Central Nevada.

The valley is almost entirely within Eureka County, but the northern end crosses into Elko County. The valley is up to 12 miles (19 km) wide and over 45 miles (72 km) long.

The town of Eureka lies at the southern end of Diamond Valley, while the northern end is home to an alkali flat. Several small lakes are located in the western part of the valley near Sadler Brown Road. Eureka Airport is also located towards the southern end of the valley.

Nevada State Historical Markers identify significant places of interest in Nevada’s history. The Nevada State Legislature started the program in 1967 to bring the state’s heritage to the public’s attention with on-site markers. Budget cuts the program became dormant in 2009.

The first known explorer of Diamond Valley was Captain John C. Frémont who mapped the area to aid western migration in 1845. Before Frémont, Shoshone and Paiute Indians had gathered nature’s bounty here.

Colonel J.H. Simpson mapped a route through the valley in 1859. The Simpson route, through the north end of the valley, immediately became the Pony Express route from 1860-1861. The Overland Telegraph replaced the Pony Express and also crossed the valley.

Early freight toll roads were operated across the valley as lead and silver mining camps boomed in the 1860s. Needs of the mining camps gave rise to a limited livestock and dairy industry. In 1957, a large underground lake was tapped to supply water for irrigation.
STATE HISTORICAL MARKER NO. 82 – STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE – EUREKA COUNTY COMMISSION

Nevada State Historic Marker Map

Nevada Historic Marker Summary

Marker ID	82
Name	Diamond Valley
Location	Eureka County
Latitude, Longitude	39.7402, -116.0748

References

Austin Nevada – Lander County

Posted on January 23, 2022 by Destination4x4

Austin Nevada is a gold mining town located near Battle Mountain in Lander County, Nevada. The town boasts Nevada State Historic Marker number eight. Until the spring of 1862 the area was virtually unknown to all but Pony Express Riders and Overland Mail workers. This all changed with the discovery of Silver in Pony Canyon, 1862.

Timothy H. O'Sullivan, Austin, Nevada, 1868, albumen silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase from the Charles Isaacs Collection made possible in part by the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, — Timothy H. O’Sullivan, Austin, Nevada, 1868, albumen silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase from the Charles Isaacs Collection made possible in part by the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment

While in search of some wandering horses, William Talcott, an employee of the Jacobs’ Springs stage station discovered a vein of quartz-bearing vein. Samples of this vein are sent to Virginia City, where they are assayed, and the results showed rich concentrations of silver. News of ore values at $6000 – $7000 per ton in Virginia City are reported and the Reese River District is organized in July. By January, 1863, a gold rush is in full swing with the cry of “Ho for the Reese River”. The area is flooded with miners, homemakers, and businessmen of all types and the camps of Clifton and Austin are founded.

Citizens of Austin in the spring of 1863 would find themselves living stone hunts with canvas roofs, tents or in just a few log cabins. Freight wagons feed the city with overpriced supplies including whiskey, food, clothing and routed to nearby Clifton. By the summer of 1863, mining companies were organizing and incorporating at a rate of ten companies per day. Mining claims dotted the valley on all sides of the fledging camp. One visitor reported that during this time two hundred and seventy four heavy freight teams are counted on route from Virginia City. In addition to freight, 19 passenger wagons, three pack trains, sixty nine horsemen and thirty one people on foot all make the trip to the mining camp.

Today, the town of Austin Nevada is home to a population of one hundred and sixty seven.

Nevada State Historic Marker #8

Austin sprang into being after William Talcott discovered silver at this spot on May 2, 1862. Talcott came from Jacobsville, a stage stop six miles to the west on the Reese River. He was hauling wood out of Pony Canyon, directly below, when he made the strike that set off the famous “Rush to Reese.”

A town called Clifton flourished briefly in Pony Canyon but fast growing Austin soon took over and became the Lander County seat in 1863. Before the mines began to fail in the 1880s Austin was a substantial city of several thousand people. From Austin, prospectors fanned out to open many other important mining camps in the Great Basin.
CENTENNIAL MARKER No. 8 – STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE

Austin Historic Images

Stokes Castle - Julie Nicoletta, "Stokes Castle", [Austin, Nevada], SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/NV-01-CE10. — Austin, Nevada

Austin Nevada Map

Town Summary

Name	Austin Nevada
Location	Lander County, Nevada
Also Known As	Jacobsville, Jacobs Station, Jacobs Springs
Latitude, Longitude	39.4919, -117.0703
GNIS	858766
Elevation	2,025 meters / 6,644 feet
Population	7,000
Nevada Historical Marker	8
Newspaper	Reese River Reveille May 23, 1863 – 1993 (missing: June 27, July 1, 8, 11, 15, 18, Aug 12, 26, 29, Sept 9, 16, 23, 26,1863) Daily Morning Democrat Aug 9, 1882 – July 8, 1883 Peoples Advocate Dec 3, 1890 – Jan 31, 1893 Nevada Progressive Dec 31, 1924 – Oct 2, 1926 Austin Sun Sept 2, 1933 – June 23, 1934

References

Hiko Nevada – Lincoln County Ghost Town

Posted on January 23, 2022 by Destination4x4

Hiko Nevada starts to see initial activity in 1853. Silver mines in the area are largely responsible for the people settling the area.

The town is founded by A William Raymond when he purchased several of the twenty six mines in the area of Pahranagat Valley. Raymond built the first mill, and laid out a townsite and named it “Hiko”. The name Hiko an Indian phrase which means “white man’s town.”

By the end of 1866, the area around it had attracted a few hundred residents. Hiko was the county seat of Lincoln County from 1867 to 1871 and is home a few hundred residents living in nearby ranches. By 1871 the mining activity west of Hiko started to falter. After the mining activity subsided, a time lawlessness came to the throughout the valley. At this time, the valley is known for its cattle rustlers, horse thieves and gun-fights.

Mill of Hiko Silver Mining Co. in 1871 - Timothy H. O'Sullivan - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Mill of Hiko Silver Mining Co. in 1871 – Timothy H. O’Sullivan – U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

In 1871 Hiko was replaced as the county seat of Lincoln County by Pioche which continues to serve this function..

As early as 1865, a camp was established here, and during the spring of 1866, W. H. Raymond and others laid out the townsite. The name Hiko is apparently based on a Shoshone term for “white man” or ‘white man’s town. Raymond purchased a five-stamp mill and had it shipped via the Colorado River to Callville and then hauled by oxen the 140 miles to this site. In November 1866, milling began on Pahranagat ores and soon after, Hiko became the first county seat of Lincoln County. In March 1867, Raymond spent nearly $900,000 developing the region before the enterprise failed. The mill was moved to Bullionville in 1870. Hiko consequently declined in population and importance, which accelerated following the removal of the county government to Pioche in February 1871.
STATE HISTORICAL MARKER NO. 206, STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE, NEVADA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Town Summary

Name	Hiko
Location	Lincoln County, Nevada
GNIS	845862
Latitude, Longitude	37.5969036, -115.2241887
Elevation	3,869 feet (,179m)
Nevada Historical Marker	206

Hiko Town Map

References

Atolia California – San Bernardino County Ghost Town

Posted on January 21, 2022 by Destination4x4

Atolia is a ghost town and tungsten mine located in the Mojave Desert in northwestern San Bernardino County, California. The town is located just off the scenic 395 highway near Randsberg, California.

Atolia and mine in the Mojave Desert, circa 1908 postcard.

The town’s named was created from the combination for two mining company officials, Atkins and DeGolia, The site started as a tungsten mine in 1905. The town peaked around the time of World War II, when it is known as the largest producer of tungsten in the world. Despite this honor growth is hindered and the town is overshadowed by towns producing more glamorous metals such as gold and siler. Tungsten is a common component used to harden steel alloys. Prior to World War II, Germany is one of Atolia’s largest customers, when their trade access is severed with the formation of British Blockades.

Not to be outdone, the Germans developed cargo submarines known as U-Boats to run the blockade. On July 9th, 1916 the German U-Boat “Deutschland” arrived in Baltimore, Maryland to be loaded with tungsten from Atolia. The town reached a population of 2,000 people during World War I. Following the great war, demand for tungsten plummeted along with its price. The price dropped caused the tungsten mines for close.

There was a brief resurgence in Atolia during World War II, when demand for hardened steel opened the mines again for a brief moment in time.

Atolia Town Map

Town Summary

Name	Atolia California
Location	Mojave Desert, San Bernardino County, California
Latitude, Longitude	35.3147387,-117.6170878
GNIS	1660280
Elevation	3,280 Feet
Population	2,000
Post Office	1906 – 1922, 1927 – 1944

References

Ivanpah California – San Bernardino County Ghost Town

Posted on January 21, 2022 by Destination4x4

Not of be confused with two others sites of the same name, Ivanpah is a ghost town and mine site located along the Eastern edge of San Bernardino County, California. Rich Silver deposits found on the lower slopes of Clark Mountain lead to the founding on the town in 1869.

Ivanpah - Bidwell Mill — Ivanpah – Bidwell Mill

The Piute Company of California and Nevada was funding the prospecting for Copper in the area when the rich silver ore is discovered. The company quickly laid out a townsite near “Willow Springs” and named the site “Ivanpah” which is the a Native American word for “Clear Water.”

By 1871, Ivanpah is a well know and flourishing trading post. The town itself is host to fifteen well built adobe buildings which include a hotel, two stores, several small houses and the head quarters for the Piute Company of California and Nevada. In 1875 a 5-stamp mill in constructed by the McFarlane brothers. The Lizzie Bullock mine receives a larger 10-stamp mill built by JA Bidwell. A Post Office is founded in 1878 and the following year the foot print of buildings includes o saloons, two stores, two blacksmith shops, two shoemakers’ shops, two hotels, two hay yards, a butcher shop, and several “neat and comfortable” houses.

Ivanpah was host to several mines in the nearby Mineral hills including Hite & Chatfield (renamed to Lizzie Bullock), the monitor and the Beatrice which is owned by Andrew, John, Tom and William McFarland.

The founding of Providence and Calico pulled interest away from Ivanpah, and the ore loosing its quality and value doomed the town to history.

Ivanpah Town Map

Town Summary

Name	Ivanpah
Also Known As	Ivanpah I
Location	San Bernardino, California
Latitude, Longitude	35.545, -115.535278
Elevation	4,880 Feet
Active	1869 – 1898
Population	100 – 300
Post Office	1878 – 1899
News Paper	Green-Eyed Monster 1880

Nevada State Historic Marker Map

Nevada Historic Marker Summary

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Nevada State Historic Marker #8

Austin Historic Images

Austin Nevada Map

Town Summary

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Town Summary

Hiko Town Map

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Atolia Town Map

Town Summary

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Ivanpah Town Map

Town Summary

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