Category: Points of Interest

Alabama Hills

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Located near Lone Pine, CA the Alabama Hills are an awesome spot to visit and explore in Inyo County.  Large boulder formations erupt from the ground and create a maze of canyons, trails and roads. This feature in itself, is more than enough fun to justify a trip to this area, however add to the equation that the Alabama Hills has appeared in more Hollywood movies than one person can name and you have the perfect combination of terrain and nostalgic history.

Alabama Hills outside of Lone Pine, California
Alabama Hills outside of Lone Pine, California

The location are featured in many “Western” movies and is the birth place of the Lone Ranger, Star Trek and Iron Man. A final punctuation mark is the area is located in the foothills of Mount Whitney (14,505 ft), the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states.

Access to the locations is extremely easy, just follow Whitney Portal Road west out of Lone Pine, and take a right turn on  Movie Road. From here the possibilities are almost endless. The BLM publishes the “Movie Road Touring Brochure” which gives directions on how to find the film locations of some of your favorite movies.

Looking down on the Alabama Hills and Owens Valley from Whitney Portal
Looking down on the Alabama Hills and Owens Valley from Whitney Portal

There is an over-abundance of camping locations within this location.  I would love to camp in this site, with the only draw back being the number of tourists driving the trails. This is actually a big draw back for me.  Most of the trails are easily accessible by almost any vehicle on the market. My last trip, we saw a brand new Porsche driving movie road.  

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California
Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California

The routes are short and easy traisl, however, there are a labyrinth of roads and canyons to explore and get lost. The fun can be search for and finding the filming locations of some of your favorite movies or televisions shows..

The area is managed by BLM. Camping is allowed by the BLM, however camping should follow all rules, regulations and the leave no trace principles in order to protect this resource and camping destination. Personally, my preference is to camp at the nearby Tuttle Creek, Lone Pine, or Mt. Whitney campgrounds.

Take your time and enjoy.

Alabama Hills Trail Map

Resources

Troy Nevada – Nye County Ghost Town

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In May 1867, prospector Alexander Beatty worked the the Grant Mountain range when he discovered silver and founded the town site of Troy, in Nye County, Nevada. Beatty quickly stacked five different claims in the valley. In 1868, Beatty started the Troy Mining District.

Troy Nevada is located in Nye County, Nevada.

In 1868, the town attracted a group of investors from England. After prospecting and exploring the area, these investors purchased Beattys mining claims and The Troy Silver Mining Company was founded in 1870.

The little town of Troy, in 1871 was home to seventy miners and their families. Their needs were meet with two general stores, a school, blacksmith shop, boarding house and an unofficial post office. The Troy Silver Mining company invested some $500,000.00 into the mining facilities and built a modern 20-stamp mill and furnaces.

Despite fund raising, the new mining company was not destined to be the next great boom town. The mines never produced as anticipated and by 1872 the company was on the verge of going under. In 1873 a new manager was able to get silver production up to keep the mines open. Flooding in the mines and the speculation from the flooding caused the stock prices to plummet. Despite this news, the stock holders voted to keep mining operations in place.

In 1876, the end finally came for Troy when the mines were closed and the assets sold and moved including the mills and furnaces. In December of that year, the Troy Silver Mining Company was dissolved.

George Sharp, a nearby rancher, purchased the mine site for back taxes in 1902. He demolished one of the two furnace chimneys for the raw materials for his ranch. Sharp sold the claims to the Birdno family.

The mining camp saw various revivals over the next 50 years. The population would teeter back and forth between 1904 – 1920. The Birdo Family sold out the claims and divested in 1936.

The final operations in the valley started in 1946 when the Locke Mine was opened above the town of Troy by Joseph Hafen. The Locke Mine produced gold and pipe delivered to water up to the mine to produce electricity for a mill which was assembled. The Locke Mined operated until the mid 1960s.

Town Summary

NameTroy Nevada
LocationNye County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude38.34578302126987, -115.57371331915309
Elevation6000 feet
Population100

Troy Nevada Trail Map

References

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

Bullionville Nevada – Lincoln County Ghost Town

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Bullionville, Nevada, is a ghost town in Lincoln County, located approximately one-quarter mile east of U.S. Route 93, one mile north of Panaca, and ten miles south of Pioche. This report explores the history of Bullionville, a short-lived but significant milling town that thrived from 1870 to 1882, driven by its strategic water resources and proximity to the silver mines of Pioche. Drawing from historical records, this account details its establishment, growth, decline, and lasting remnants.

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

Establishment and Early Development (1870–1872)

Bullionville was founded in February 1870 when John H. Ely and W.H. Raymond relocated a five-stamp mill from Hiko to a site selected for its reliable water supply from Meadow Valley Creek, a northern tributary of the Colorado River. Initially named Ely City, the settlement was renamed Bullionville later that year. The availability of water made it an ideal location for milling operations, prompting the construction of additional mills to process ore from nearby Pioche mines. Between 1870 and 1872, most of Pioche’s mills were established in Bullionville due to this advantage. The 1870 Federal Census recorded 96 residents, indicating early growth.

In 1872, construction began on the Pioche and Bullionville Railroad, a 21-mile narrow-gauge line costing $255,000, designed to transport ore from Pioche mines to Bullionville’s mills. Completed in 1873, the railroad facilitated efficient ore processing and spurred further development.

Peak Prosperity (1872–1875)

Bullionville experienced rapid growth between 1872 and 1875, reaching a population of approximately 500 by 1875. The town boasted five mills with a total of 110 stamps, making it a regional hub for ore processing. It also housed the first iron foundry in eastern Nevada, reflecting its industrial significance. The community supported a range of businesses, including hotels, stores, multiple saloons, blacksmith shops, and a daily stage service to Pioche. A post office opened in April 1874, further solidifying its status as a burgeoning settlement.

The Panaca Summit Charcoal Kilns, built in the mid-1870s, supported Bullionville’s mills by producing charcoal, a critical fuel for smelting silver ore. Constructed by skilled stone masons using rhyolitic tuff and operated by Swiss and Italian woodcutters known as “Carbonari,” these kilns processed up to 50 cords of wood per cycle, yielding enough charcoal to smelt one ton of ore per 30 bushels. The kilns, located near Panaca, operated until the late 1890s, outlasting Bullionville’s peak.

Decline and Abandonment (1875–1898)

The construction of a water system connecting Bullionville to Pioche in 1875 marked the beginning of the town’s decline. This system enabled Pioche to support its own milling operations, reducing the need for Bullionville’s facilities. Between 1875 and 1877, most mills were relocated to Pioche, and the Pioche and Bullionville Railroad ceased operations by 1880. The 1880 Federal Census reported only 68 residents, a sharp decline from the town’s peak.

In 1880, an attempt was made to sustain Bullionville by erecting a plant to process tailings left by the former mills. However, this effort failed to reverse the town’s fortunes. The post office closed in November 1886, briefly reopened from October 1892 to July 1898, and closed permanently thereafter. By 1900, the Federal Census recorded only two families, the Morgans (3 members) and the Clarks (10 members), residing in Bullionville. The town was effectively abandoned by the early 20th century.

Legacy and Current State

Today, Bullionville is a ghost town with few physical remnants. The Bullionville Cemetery, accessible via a short trail at Cathedral Gorge State Park, is one of the primary surviving features, documented in the 1980s as part of the Civic Historical Research Project led by Paul Vance. The cemetery offers insight into the lives of early residents, though no original buildings remain. The Nevada State Historical Marker No. 203, located along U.S. Route 93 one mile north of Panaca, commemorates Bullionville’s history.

Photographic evidence from the Nevada Historical Society, including images of mining operations circa 1910–1912, provides visual documentation of Bullionville’s industrial past. The Panaca Summit Charcoal Kilns, still standing, serve as a testament to the region’s mining heritage.

Conclusion

Bullionville, Nevada, was a fleeting but vital component of Lincoln County’s mining economy in the 1870s. Its strategic location and water resources fueled a brief period of prosperity, marked by industrial innovation and community growth. However, the development of infrastructure in Pioche led to its rapid decline, leaving Bullionville as a ghost town by the late 19th century. Its cemetery, historical marker, and nearby charcoal kilns preserve its legacy, offering a glimpse into Nevada’s boom-and-bust mining history.

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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