Pershing County is a county in the upper north western section of the Battle Born state of Nevada and the states newest county. Originally, the territory was part of Humboldt County until 1919, when it was formed. The county is named for General John Joseph “Black Jack” Pershing who was the Commanding General of the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I.
Like many counties in Nevada ( outside of Clark County), Pershing County is sparsely populated. The entire county consists on only 6,700 people. This works out to one person for every square mile within the boundaries of the county. The county seat is Lovelock.
The area is known for its silver mining from the 1860s and 1870s. However, the mining operations were hindered by the remoteness of the location and the cost of transportations at the time. The bulk of the mining operations are located in the Eastern Portion of the area.
The central portion of the region is centered on a central valley cut by Humboldt River. The river sustained the local populations with water and also served the mining and milling operations in the area.
The western portion is dry and harsh and home to the Black Rock Desert. The Black Rock Desert contains a large fry lake bed, or playa which plays host to a counter culture festival known as “Burning Man” each August. Additionally, the Black Rock Desert playa is used by amateur’s rocketry enthusiasts and motorheads who seek world records for speed on the long distances of the flat playa.
Pershing County Trail Map
Pershing County Ghost Towns
 Dun Glen Nevada – Pershing County Ghost TownChafey, Nevada. 1908. Prior site of Dun Glen, Nevada. Dun Glen Nevada later known as Chafey Nevada is a ghost town and mine site located… |
 Mazuma Nevada – Pershing County Ghost TownMazuma, Nevada - 1908 Mazuma Nevada started its short life in 1907 when the Seven Troughs gold strike started attracting an influx of miners from… |
 Oreana Nevada – Pershing County Ghost TownOreana Nevada is a milling town which was active from 1865 - 1885 in Pershing County Nevada and home to the Montezuma Smelting Works. The… |
 Rochester Nevada – Pershing County Ghost TownUpper Rochester, Nevada 1918 In the 1860s, immigrants and prospectors from Rochester New York discovered gold in the nearby mounts and the silver mining town… |
 Seven Troughs Nevada – Pershing County Ghost TownSeven Troughs Nevada 1907 In 1894, Frank Ward a sheepman in the area, built seven water troughs to water his sheep. The name Seven Troughs… |