Category: Points of Interest

Fairview Nevada – Churchill County Ghost Town

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Founded in 1905, Fairview Nevada is a ghost town and silver mining camp located in Churchill County, near the town of Fallon, Nevada. The towns rapid growth can be attributed to investments by bankers George S Nixon and George Wingfield.

Fourth of July parade, Fairview, Nevada 1906. - Stanley W. Paher, Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps, (1970), Howell North, p96, Ashley Cook Collection, Theron Fox Collection
Fourth of July parade, Fairview, Nevada 1906. – Stanley W. Paher, Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps, (1970), Howell North, p96, Ashley Cook Collection, Theron Fox Collection

RUSH TO FAIRVIEW – At the present time there is quite a rush to Fairview, the new mining district recently discovered about thirty six miles from Fallon. Some very rich ore has been struck in the new district and many miners and prospectors are rushing to the scene of the discovery to locate claims.

Reno Evening Gazette 1906 February 14

At first the mining camp was rather transient, moving moving its location twice and changing its name from Fairview Peak. The first move was located the town closer to its mining operations. The second move was relocate outside of the narrow canyon to make room as the town continued to grow.

Fairview, Nevada prospectors examining mine, early 1900s - Stanley W. Paher, Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps, (1970), Howell North, p 99,Theron Fox Collection
Fairview, Nevada prospectors examining mine, early 1900s – Stanley W. Paher, Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps, (1970), Howell North, p 99,Theron Fox Collection

1907 saw rapid growth and expansion as promotors sold the town. Freight brought in to town from the rail status at Hazen clogged the roads. Very early on in 1907, the little community of Fairvew boasted 27 saloons, assay offices, a news paper, banks and hotels. Town plots were for $100 per frontage foot and every commodity was marked up and expensive.

Fairview mine visitors, c 1906 - Stanley W. Paher, Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps, (1970), Howell North, p 99, Theron Fox Collection
Fairview mine visitors, c 1906 – Stanley W. Paher, Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps, (1970), Howell North, p 99, Theron Fox Collection

Plans for a rail connection were soon made in later in 1907. The state approved the legislation, however nothing ever came of it.

The year of 1908 introduced some sobriety into the minds of this camp. Many citizens were lured away by the gold booms of nearby towns. Mineral production plummeted to 12% from the previous year. For the next three years, only high grade ore was shipped to the smelters. Production continued to be profitable for the Nevada Hills Mining Company until 1917.

Nevada Hills Gold Mine, Fairview, Nevada
Nevada Hills Gold Mine, Fairview, Nevada

Town Summary

NameFairview
LocationChurchill County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude39.266389, -118.1975
Population2000
Elevation4679 Feet
News PaperThe News
Post Office April 1906 – May 1919
NPS Pony Express Station154
Next Westbound StationMountain Well Station
Next Eastbound StationFort Churchill Station

Fairview Nevada Trail Map

References

Jackrabbit Nevada – Lincoln County Ghost Town

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Jackrabbit Nevada is a ghost town and silver mining camp located in Lincoln County Nevada. Local legend attributes the discovery to the locator picking up a rock to throw at a jackrabbit and finding himself holding high grade silver.

Jackrabbit Nevada - (Theron Fox Photo) Paher, Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps
Jackrabbit Nevada – (Theron Fox Photo) Paher, Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps

The Jackrabbit District, named for the mine, was located in 1876 by Isaac Newton Garrison. Early mine production of the camp, at one time named Royal City, was about ten tons per day, carrying native silver in flakes, yielding about $40 per ton – sometimes as high as $2000 per ton.

Soon after the initial discover, the camp was home to several general stores, boarding houses, saloons, restaurants and a blacksmith shop. It was also the last whiskey stop for the south bound stage into Pioche.

The Day and Jackrabbit mines produce ore, which was hauled to the mills in Bristol. Mineral production declined during the 1880’s, but when a fifteen-mile narrow gauge railroad known as the “Jackrabbit Road” was opened in 1891 between the Jackrabbit mine and Pioche which increase the mining production.

After 1893 the mines fell silent except for several short periods of activity in 1906-07 and 1912-14

Nevada State Historic Marker

Local legend attributes the discovery to the locator picking up a rock to throw at a jackrabbit and finding himself holding high grade silver. Located on the eastern slope of the Bristol Mountains, the Jack Rabbit District, named for the mine, was located in 1876 by Isaac Newton Garrison. Within months the camp, at one time named Royal City, had a store, saloon, boarding house and restaurant. Early mine production was about ten tons per day, carrying native silver in flakes, yielding about $40 per ton — sometimes as high as $2000 per ton. Total production of the District is estimated at about $2,000,000 to $6,000,000. Mine production declined during the 1880’s, but when a fifteen-mile narrow gauge railroad was opened in 1891 between the Jackrabbit mine and Pioche, mineral production soon increased. After 1893 the mines fell silent except for several short periods of activity in 1906-07 and 1912-14.

Nevada State Historic Marker

Town Summary

NameJack Rabbit
LocationLincoln County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude38.094009, -114.595399
Nevada State Historic Marker204
Elevation6330
Population
Post OfficeOctober 15, 1878 – January 26, 1879 – (Royal City)

Directions

The ghost town of Jackrabbit Nevada is about 14 miles north of Pioche and one mile west of the US 93.

Jackrabbit Trail Map

References

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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Ubehebe Lead Mine

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The Ubehebe Lead Mine is located just west of the Racetrack Playa Road off of the Bonnie Claire Road.  Discovered in 1906, the mine is located on the west side of the Racetrack valley just south of Teakettle junction.    The site was started as a copper mine and during to coarse of its operation would produce lead, copper, gold and zinc.

Ubehebe Lead Mine Trail sign located just off of the Racetrack, Death Valley, CA
Ubehebe Trail sign located just off of the Racetrack, Death Valley, CA

In February, 1908 a large eight foot thick vein of lead ore which was perceived to run through the mountain changed the mines name and destiny.  In order to prepare, the site hauled in 26,000 lbs of provisions to feed and supply a crew of eight men for the duration of the summer.   When processed the order produced significantly lower than expected.  The lack of water, remote location and less than desirable returns caused production of the Ubehebe Lead Mine to be sporadic.

Ubehebe Mine with tramway visible at the top of the hill, Death Valley, CA
Ubehebe Mine with tramway visible at the top of the hill, Death Valley, CA

The site currently has a main adit which is blocked off about 10 feet inside of the entrance.  Several other adits are located up the hillside and all are blocked to entry at this time.  There are a few collapsed buildings of light construction that have given their all against the harsh environment and several foundations are also evident.  An aerial tramway was built to the northern works and a single tramway cable is still suspended and connected to tramway on the ridge above.

Exploring the Ubehebe Mine tails pile, Death Valley, CA
Exploring the Ubehebe Mine tails pile, Death Valley, CA

The entire area has undergone extensive washing: bits of rail and pipe sections lie about near the mine, as do crockery fragments, pieces of glass, and tin cans that have worked down from the camp site. The several dumps nearby contain nothing of historical significance.

Looking back at the jeep, Death Valley National Park, CA
Looking back at the jeep, Death Valley National Park, CA
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