Named for Ulysses S. Grant, Grantsville Nevada is a ghost town and gold mining camp located in Nye County Nevada. Initial prospecting in the area which became Grantsville began in 1863 when gold was discovered by P. A. Haven in the Union District. The camp was founded where a nest of ledges was worked. Initially the area was promoted by P. A. Haven and lots were sold between $50 and $500, the the fledgling town was off to a good start. Soon the valley was home to about 50 people seeking fortune.
In 1877, a large mining company, the Alexander Mining Co. invested into the town and the small community started to show some promise. The mining company built a 20 stamp mill to process the ore produced by the nearby mines. Following the new investment, the population ballooned up to about 1000 people. The citizens brought commerce and soon the town supported the usual assortment of hotels, drug stores, general stores, blacksmiths and the ever profitable saloons. The town was served by two papers, the weekly Sun and later the Bonanza replaced the Sun’s weekly paper. Grantsville is also known to have a jeweler and brewery which was not commonly found in every boomtown.
The Grantsville post office opened in 1879 to supported the town. The Alexander Mining Co, expanded its milling operations by doubling the size of the mill from 20 to 40 stamps. The town had two stage routes running to Autin via a route through Ione and Eureka via the town of Belmont. Considerations were made from a train line with the Nevada Central. 1881 saw the opening of a bank and an express office to supply the town and its forty odd businesses. The citizens of Grantsville kept themselves entertained with dances, banquets and the odd baseball game to which the winner might received a keg of lager.
Despite the seemly solid financial foundation and commerce, the town population began to slowly fade in the 1880s and by 1884 the population fell to 400. Two years later the population was just 50 and the post office was closed in October 1887. There were several attempts to restart the mines, however none of these subsequent operations lasted for long.
Grantsville Town Summary
| Name | Grantsville |
| Location | Nye County Nevada |
| Latitude, Longitude | 38.8454829, -117.5731563 |
| Elevation | 2141 meters / 7025 feet |
| GNIS | 859881 |
| Population | 400 |
| Newspaper | Grantsville Sun Oct 19, 1878 – Apr 16, 1879 Grantsville Bonanza May 7, July 30, 1881 |