El Dorado Canyon – Nevada State Historic Marker

El Dorado Canyon NSHM is Nevada State Historical Marker number six and is located in Clark County, Nevada. The stone marker is located on the junction of State Route 165 and U.S. Highway 95 between Searchlight and Boulder and the Eastern side of the Highway.

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 to the program caused the program to become dormant in 2009. Many of the markers are lost of damaged.

El Dorado Canyon NSHM looks down on Lake Mojave in Clark County Nevada
El Dorado Canyon looks down on Lake Mojave in Clark County Nevada

El Dorado Canyon has a long history of mining in Nevada. Early on in its history, the canyon operated as a Colorado River Steamship port which offload mining and settlement supplies into the surrounding desert. The towns of El Dorado and Nelson are founded within the canyon hosted miners, settlers and a strong criminal element. For a time, the settlements were some of the most violent in the region.

Today, the “ghost town” of Nelson is a semipopular tourist destination. The townsite is an easy drive from Las Vegas and offers visitors the chance to see some old mining artifacts, structures and mines. However the location is clearly reconstructed appear something that it never was. For those of us who love to visit ghost towns, you may be disappointed.

Regardless, the history of the location is storied and full of adventure.

Nevada State Historic Marker Text

Toward the Colorado River from this point runs El Dorado Canyon, where occurred one of the biggest mining booms in Nevada history. Gold and silver were discovered here about 1859 and soon mines were developed. In the 1860’s, the canyon was bursting with a rowdy population of nearly 500 men, many of these said to be deserters from the Civil War.

The river was navigable at the time, making it possible to bring in food and supplies by boat.

Notorious for its feuds and shootings, the canyon was equally well known for its three largest mines, the Techatticup, Wall Street and Savage which yielded five million dollars during 40 years of operations.

STATE HISTORICAL MARKER NO. 6 – STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE

Nevada State Historic Marker Map

Nevada Historic Marker Summary

ID6
NameEl Dorado Canyon
LocationClark County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude35.8281, -114.9369

References

Dinner Station

Dinner Station Nevada is Nevada State Historical Marker number two hundred and forty four and is located in Elko County, Nevada.

Dinner Station, Elko County, Nevada
Dinner Station, Elko County, Nevada

The location stands as a reminder of Nevada’s stagecoach era. Established in the early 1870’s by William C. (Hill) Beachey as a meal stop for the Tuscarora and Mountain City stage lines, it was originally known as Weilands. The name was later changed to Oldham’s Station when a change of ownership took place. A frame structure originally accommodated the traffic, but a fine two-story stone station house, out-buildings and a corral were built following a fire in the 1800’s. Early in the Twentieth Century, both automobiles and hose-drawn stages stopped at and it became one of the most popular country inns of the time. After 1910, when automobiles become more common, the station ceased to be used.

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.

Nevada State Historic Marker Text

Dinner Station stands as a reminder of Nevada’s stagecoach era. Established in the early 1870’s by William C. (Hill) Beachey as a meal stop for the Tuscarora and Mountain City stage lines, it was originally known as Weilands. The name was later changed to Oldham’s Station when a change of ownership took place. A frame structure originally accommodated the traffic, but a fine two-story stone station house, out-buildings and a corral were built following a fire in the 1800’s. Early in the Twentieth Century, both automobiles and hose-drawn stages stopped at and it became one of the most popular country inns of the time. After 1910, when automobiles become more common, the station ceased to be used.

STATE HISTORICAL MARKER NO. 244 – STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE

Currently, the Nevada Nevada State Historic Marker number 244 is missing.

Nevada State Historic Marker Map

Nevada Historic Marker Summary

ID244
NameDinner Station
LocationElko County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude41.09991, -115.86631

References

Diamond Valley Nevada

Captain John C. Frémont, explorer first mapped Diamond Valley Nevada
Captain John C. Frémont, explorer first mapped Diamond Valley Nevada

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 ID82
NameDiamond Valley
LocationEureka County
Latitude, Longitude39.7402, -116.0748

References

Austin Nevada – Lander County

Austin, Nevada, is a small unincorporated community in Lander County, often described as a “living ghost town” due to its well-preserved remnants of an early Nevada mining town. Located on the western slopes of the Toiyabe Range at an elevation of 6,575 feet, Austin was a significant hub during the silver boom of the 1860s. This report explores Austin’s history, from its founding and peak during the silver rush to its decline and current status as a historical site, drawing on key events, structures, and cultural significance.

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

Founding and the Silver Rush (1862–1864)

Austin was founded in 1862 during a silver rush sparked by a discovery attributed to William Talcott, a former Pony Express rider. According to local legend, a Pony Express horse kicked over a rock in Pony Canyon, revealing silver ore. Assays confirmed the richness of the vein, and news spread rapidly. By July 1862, the Reese River Mining District was organized, attracting hundreds of prospectors. By summer 1863, Austin and the surrounding area boasted a population exceeding 10,000, primarily European Americans seeking wealth. The town was named after Alvah Austin, a partner of David Buell, who mapped out the settlement during the American Civil War, when the Union sought precious metals to fund the war effort.

In 1863, Austin became the county seat of Lander County, a role it held until 1979 when the seat shifted to Battle Mountain. The town’s strategic location along the Pony Express route and later U.S. Highway 50 facilitated its rapid growth. By January 1864, Austin was incorporated as a city, merging the camps of Clifton, Austin, and Upper Austin. The same year, Reuel Colt Gridley, a local merchant, launched a famous fundraising drive, repeatedly auctioning a sack of flour to raise over $250,000 for wounded Civil War veterans, an event that gained national attention.

Boom Years and Development (1864–1887)

Austin’s peak in the 1860s and 1870s was marked by significant infrastructure and cultural development. The town became a staging point for prospectors exploring central Nevada, leading to new mining camps and discoveries. By late 1863, Austin had over 7,000 residents, and by 1864, it established a police force, fire department, and daily newspaper, the Reese River Reveille. Brick buildings, schools, and gas-lit streets reflected its prosperity. The International Hotel, originally built in Virginia City in 1859 and partially relocated to Austin in 1863, became a central landmark and is considered Nevada’s oldest hotel. It continues to serve meals and drinks today.

Religious institutions also flourished. Four churches were built, three of which remain significant: the Catholic St. Augustine’s (1866), now a cultural center; the Methodist Church (1866), now a community center; and St. George’s Episcopal Church (1878), still in regular use and often called the prettiest frontier church standing. These churches are listed as Nevada Historical Marker 67.

The Nevada Central Railroad, completed in 1880, connected Austin to the transcontinental railroad at Battle Mountain, reducing reliance on costly mule trains. The Austin City Railway, nicknamed “The Mule’s Relief,” was built in 1880 to transport freight 2.8 miles from Clifton to Austin’s mining district, overcoming steep grades with a Baldwin steam locomotive. However, a tragic accident in 1882 killed the engineer, and the railway ceased operations in 1893 as mining declined.

Stokes Castle and Other Landmarks (1897)

One of Austin’s most iconic structures is Stokes Castle, a three-story granite tower built in 1897 by Anson Phelps Stokes, a wealthy New York capitalist with interests in local mines. Modeled after a medieval Italian tower Stokes admired near Rome, the castle was constructed with hand-hewn granite blocks raised by a hand winch. It featured three floors with fireplaces, plate-glass windows, balconies, and a battlemented terrace. The Stokes family occupied it briefly in June and July 1897, after which it fell into disrepair. Today, it stands as a testament to Austin’s mining wealth and architectural ambition.

Other notable structures include the Austin Cemetery (established 1863), listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Austin Historic District, a 748-acre area listed in 1971. The district encompasses the Austin City Hall, the Austin Masonic and Odd Fellows Hall, the Gridley Store, and the former Lander County Courthouse, among others. Toquima Cave, a nearby archaeological site with ancient Shoshone petroglyphs, adds to the area’s historical significance.

Decline and Transition (1887–1938)

Austin’s silver boom waned by 1887 as major production ceased, though a brief revival occurred in the 1910s. The White Pine mining excitement of 1869 drew many prospectors away, causing a temporary slump. The city was disincorporated in 1881, reflecting its declining population. The Nevada Central Railroad, vital to Austin’s economy, faced challenges with the rise of motor vehicles and stage lines in the 1920s. By 1937, the railroad’s owners, including J.G. Phelps Stokes, decided to abandon it, and the tracks were removed in 1938.

By the early 20th century, Austin’s population dwindled. The 1920 census reported fewersomewhere around 200 residents, and by 2020, the census-designated place had only 167 residents. Despite this, Austin remained a cultural and historical hub, preserving its past through the Austin Historical Society Museum, opened in 2006 on Main Street during the annual Gridley Days festival. The museum houses artifacts from mining, ranching, railroads, Native American tribes, schools, and churches, including vintage furniture, mining equipment, and pre-Shoshone grinding stones.

Austin Today

Today, Austin is a quiet mountain town with a population of approximately 167, nestled in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest along U.S. Route 50, dubbed “The Loneliest Road in America.” It attracts tourists for its historical sites, outdoor activities like hiking, mountain biking, and hunting, and natural attractions like Spencer Hot Springs. Eleven historic sites, including Stokes Castle and the churches, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Greater Austin Area Chamber of Commerce promotes the town as a base for exploring the Toiyabe Range and nearby ghost towns. The Austin Historical Museum continues to educate visitors, open from April to October, and the town’s preserved buildings offer a glimpse into Nevada’s mining frontier.

Conclusion

Austin, Nevada, encapsulates the rise and fall of a classic Western mining town. From its explosive growth during the 1862 silver rush to its quiet existence today, Austin’s history reflects the boom-and-bust cycles of the American frontier. Its preserved structures, like Stokes Castle, the International Hotel, and its historic churches, along with its museum and archaeological sites, make it a valuable window into Nevada’s past. As a living ghost town, Austin continues to draw visitors seeking history, adventure, and the stark beauty of central Nevada.

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

Austin Nevada Map

Town Summary

NameAustin Nevada
LocationLander County, Nevada
Also Known AsJacobsville, Jacobs Station, Jacobs Springs
Latitude, Longitude39.4919, -117.0703
GNIS858766
Elevation2,025 meters / 6,644 feet
Population7,000
Nevada Historical Marker8
NewspaperReese 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

Nevada State Historic Markers in Austin Nevada

Reuel Colt Gridley (January 23, 1829 – November 24, 1870)

Reul Colt Gridley

Reul Colt Gridley was a shop owner in Austin Nevada who gained national fame through an extraordinary act of philanthropy. Reuel Colt Gridley (January 23,…
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.

Stokes Castle

Stokes Castle is a point of interest and Nevada Start Historic Marker number fifty nine located in Lander County, Nevada. The granite rock tower is…

References

Hiko Nevada – Lincoln County Ghost Town

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

Ruins in Hike, Lincoln County, Nevada
Ruins in Hike, Lincoln County, Nevada

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

NameHiko
LocationLincoln County, Nevada
GNIS845862
Latitude, Longitude37.5969036, -115.2241887
Elevation3,869 feet (,179m)
Nevada Historical Marker206

Hiko Town Map

References