Manhattan Nevada is Nevada State Historical Marker number ninety seven and is located in Nye County, Nevada.
The town is originally founded in 1867 as part of a silver mining boom. The district abandoned in 1871. In 1905 a boom in gold mining activity brought over 4,000 people into the area. The Nye and Ormsby County Bank, the only stone structure to be built in the town, was erected in 1906. In 1906, the San Francisco earthquake literally shocked the region. The depression of 1907 tooked hold over investment capital and Manhattan faltered along with other gold mining towns including Rhyolite, Nevada.
The town on Manhattan saw a resurgance in 1909 and the population of 800 to 1000 people and their town matured into great little town. Local mines produced Gold, Silver and Copper, while Frank Garside published a weekly newspapper, the Post. The town continued its mining operations, including a gold dredge.
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.
A Manhattan Mining District to the northeast was first organized in 1867, and some tunnel mining was done. The place name persisted in local use and was adopted in 1905 when John Humphrey found gold at the foot of “April Fool Hill,” near the old stage route. A typical boom followed. A post office was started late in 1905, and the camp soon had telegraph, telephone, utilities and businesses. Transport was to Tonopah and the railroad at Sodaville.
The 1906 San Francisco earthquake stopped mining investment. As a result, most of the productive work here was by lessees. The gold strikes were in ore and placer, and by 1909 there were 13 mines and 16 placers. Some of the operations were the Big Four, Litigation Hill Merger, Stray Dog, September Fraction and White Caps. Hydraulic placering started in 1909. In 1938, dredging began, continuing 13 years. Over $10,000,000 was produced.
“Manhattan always was a good camp.”
NEVADA STATE HISTORIC MARKER #97
Manhattan NSHM Map
Manhattan NSHM Summary
| Nevada State Historic Marker | 97 |
| Name | Manhattan, Nevada |
| Location | Nye County, Nevada |
| Latitude, Longitude | 38.5707, -117.1816 |