Tag: Esmeralda County

Esmeralda County, located in Nevada, is a sparsely populated region known for its rugged desert landscapes and historical mining sites. It is situated in the southwestern part of the state, characterized by vast expanses of arid terrain dotted with sparse vegetation and mountain ranges. The county’s history is deeply intertwined with mining, particularly during the late 19th and early 20th centuries when it experienced a boom due to discoveries of gold, silver, and other minerals. Today, Esmeralda County remains one of the least populated counties in Nevada, maintaining a sense of isolation and tranquility amidst its stark natural beauty. It attracts visitors interested in exploring its mining heritage, stargazing under clear desert skies, and enjoying the solitude of its remote landscapes.

Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad

Posted on by

The Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad was a standard gauge railroad which operated along 197 miles between the town of Las Vegas and Goldfield, NV. Despite the name of the route, service from Goldfield to Tonopah is complete on the Tonopah and Goldfield Railroad.

Rhyolite Train Depot is located at the north end of town in Rhyolite, Nye County, Nevada. - Photo by James L Rathbun
Rhyolite Train Depot for the Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad is located at the north end of town in Rhyolite, Nye County, Nevada. – Photo by James L Rathbun

History

Railroad logo from a 1910 Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad timetable.
Railroad logo from a 1910 Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad timetable.

Despite a verbal agreement with Francis Marion Smith in April, 1905, William A Clark incorporated the Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad on September 22, 1905. By this time, Borax Smith graded about 12 miles of the track route for his operations in Lila C, or Ryan as it would later be known.

Following a no-trespassing order served to Smith, Clark initial started laying track up the valley from Las Vegas on the route graded by Borax Smith. Track reached Indian Springs from Las Vegas on March 1st, 1906. By June, 30th, 1906 rail is laid down all the way to Rose’s Well. The route to Rhyolite, Nevada is completed in December 1906. During the height of construction, the track gangs were pushing the track forward at a rate of about 1.5 miles per day and complete the route into Goldfield in November, 1907. A financial panic of 1907 caused the failure of the town of Rhyolite which served a major blow to the newly complete line.

The LV & T is merged with the Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad in 1914 when it operated some 15 locomotives. Between December 1906 and February 1st, 1917, daily train service hauled passengers, mail and freight between Las Vegas and Beatty. After February 1917, only three trains ran per week until 1919 when the railroad is closed and scrapped.

The Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad laid one mile of track per day, then two miles of track per day, in its hurry to connect Rhyolite with the outside world. The first train from the Las Vegas & Tonopah entered Rhyolite at 7 p.m. on December 14, 1906, with about 100 passengers.

Rhyolite Train Depot Marker

Las Vegas to Goldfield Route

The Las Vegas and Tonapah Railroad was 197 miles long 23 stops along the way. The trip took about 8 hours to complete with food service only being offered at Rhyolite.

  • Goldfield ( Mile 0 )
  • T & G Crossing ( Mile 1)
  • Red Rock ( Mile 4)
  • Ralston ( Mile 17 )
  • Stonewall ( Mile 21 )
  • Wagner ( Mile 28 )
  • San Carlos ( Mile 34 )
  • Bonnie Claire ( Mile 41 )
  • Midway ( Mile 43 )
  • Petersgold ( Mile 59 )
  • Mud Spring (Mile 65
  • Original ( Mile 70 )
  • Rhyolite ( Mile 74 )
  • Beatty ( Mile 79 )
  • Gold Center (Mile 81 )
  • Chloride ( Mile 87 )
  • Rosewell ( Mile 97 )
  • Canyon ( Mile 109 )
  • Amaragosa (Mile 122 )
  • Charleston ( Mile 138 )
  • Indian Spring ( Mile153 )
  • Owens ( Mile 169 )
  • Corn Creek ( Mile 174 )
  • Tule ( Mile 182 )
  • Las Vegas ( Mile 197 )

Summary

NameLas Vegas and Tonopah Railroad
LocationClark County, Nevada
Nye County, Nevada
Esmeralda County, Nevada
GaugeStandard Gauge – 4 feet 8.5 inches (1,435 mm)
Length197 miles
Years of Operation1906–1918

Related Articles

A train caboose as found in Rhyolite, Nevada - Photo by James L Rathbun
A train caboose as found in Rhyolite, Nevada – Photo by James L Rathbun
Nevada State Historic Marker #173 - Beatty - Photo by James L Rathbun

Beatty Nevada State Historic Marker #173

Beatty NSHM 173 is Nevada State Historical Marker number one hundred and seventy three five and is located just off of highway 95 in the…
Rhyolite Train Depot is located at the north end of town in Rhyolite, Nye County, Nevada. - Photo by James L Rathbun

Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad

The Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad was a standard gauge railroad which operated along 197 miles between the town of Las Vegas and Goldfield, NV.…
Rhyolite, Nevada photo by James L Rathbun

Rhyolite Nevada – Nye County Ghost Town

Rhyolite is a ghost town location just outside of the Eastern edge of Death Valley National monument in Nye country, Nevada.  Founded in 1904 by…
Rhyolite Train Depot is located at the north end of town in Rhyolite, Nye County, Nevada. - Photo by James L Rathbun

Rhyolite Train Depot

The town of Rhyolite boasted three train services using the Rhyolite Train Depot which is completed in June, 1908. The depot services the Las Vegas…
More details Tonopah & Tidewater #1 was a Baldwin 4-6-0 steam locomotive, originally built for the Wisconsin and Michigan Railroad, later going to the Randsburg Railway on the Santa Fe as their #1 (later #260). Went to the T&T in 1904 and used in passenger and shunting service. It was scrapped in 1941, and the bell was saved by the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society at Pomona, CA.

Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad

Explorers of the Mojave Desert in southern California are bound to have heard the stories of the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad. The Tonopah and Tidewater…

References

Jackson Lee Davis “Diamondfield Jack”

Posted on by

Jackson Lee “Diamondfield Jack” Davis who was pardoned for murder in Idaho and moved to Nevada where he founded several mining camps. Davis was a hired gun who worked for the cattlemen “protecting” cattle herds and their grazing land from sheep famers.

Jackson Lee "Diamondfield Jack" Davis (12 Aug 1863–2 Jan 1949)
Jackson Lee “Diamondfield Jack” Davis (12 Aug 1863–2 Jan 1949)

In 1895, Davis is hired by the Sparks-Harrell cattle company to keep the sheepherders off of the grazing lands. After an altercation where Davis wounded Bill Tolman in a shooting. Following this incident, he fled south to Nevada to star or of sight. While in Nevada, Davis is known to brad about his exploits.

In February, 1896, Davis returned to Idaho and returned to work for Sparks-Harrell in Idaho. During this time, two sheepherders, Daniel Cummings and John Wilson, are shot and killed. Due to he previous bragging and his being in the area at the time, Davis became a suspect. Davis fled to Arizona and is eventually captured. Upon his capture, he is returned to Idaho, tried, found guilty and sentenced to death for of the shooting.

DiamondField Nevada - 1904 - Paher
DiamondField Nevada – 1904 – Paher

keep the sheep back. Don’t kill but shoot to wound if necessary. Use what measures you think best. If you have to kill, the company will stand behind you – regardless what happens.

While “Diamondfield Jack” is waiting his execution, two other men, James Bower and Jeff Gray, confess to the killing. During their trial, the two men are found not guilty. Regardless, this trial raised doubt as to the trial and Davis is reprieved one day before his scheduled execution.

Following a series of appeals, Davis is again scheduled for execution on July 3rd, 1901. At this point in time, public opinion no longer supported the death penalty. His execution is rescheduled until the Board of Pardons commutes his sentence to life in prisons. Davis is eventually pardoned on December 17th, 1902.

Following his release, Davis moved south into Nevada. In the spring of 1903, when news of promising gold strikes in Goldfield, Davis travelled to the town. After exploring and prospecting he uncovered promising ore ledges on McMahon Ridge northeast of town.

Within weeks of his discovery, prospectors flooded into the area. “Diamondfield Jack”, ever the opportunist plotted a townsite for the location and build a toll road to the new town from Goldfield. In the fall of 1904, the town reached its apex. At that time, it boasted a Post Office, three saloons, restaurants, general stores, schools, church, livery, butcher shop, blacksmith and union hall for the miners, which is impressive for a town just six months old. Public servants such as a sheriff, notary public and lawyer also maintained offices in the new formed district.

Nevada State Historic Marker #251 Text

This historical marker commemorates the lasting notoriety of flamboyant western gunman Jackson Lee Davis (1870-1949), who was better known by the colorful name, “Diamondfield Jack.” As a young man, after unsuccessfully prospecting for diamonds in the nearby hills, Davis was jokingly called “Diamondfield Jack,” a nickname that he carried the rest of his life.

In the late 1890’s, Davis gained a measure of fame as a gunman for the cattle interests, including rancher John Sparks, who would later become a Nevada governor, that were attempting to restrict sheep ranchers from southern Idaho and northeastern Nevada rangelands. Following a sensational trial in 1896, Davis was convicted of murdering two sheepherders. He was sentenced to be hanged, even after others confessed to the murders.

In 1902, Davis was finally pardoned for the crimes. He moved to the central Nevada mining towns of Tonopah and Goldfield, where he became a successful mine operator. He also helped found several mining camps, including one called Diamondfield. In later years, he drifted into obscurity and died in Las Vegas in 1949 after being struck by a car.

Nevada State Historic Marker #251 Summary

Nevada State Historic Marker251
NameDiamondfield Jack Davis
LocationElko County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude41.9847, -114.6720

Resources

Christian Brevoort Zabriskie

Posted on by

Christian Brevoort Zabriskie was a vice president and general manager Pacific Coast Borax Company located in Death Valley National Park. Zabriske served teh Pacific Coast Borax Company for some thirty six years, and due to this activity is honored by the naming an Zabriske Point.

Christian Brevoort Zabriskie
Christian Brevoort Zabriskie

Christian Brevoort Zabriskie (1864–1936) was born at Fort Bridger in the Wyoming Territory. After schooling, he worked for the Virginia & Truckee Railroad located in Carson City, Nevada. For a time, he relocated to Candelaria, Nevada at work for the Esmeralda County Bank. He briefly venture into the mortuary business with a partnership formed with a local cabinet maker. His lack of knowledge in the art of embalming was not considered a liability as burial speed was a huge priority.

In 1885, at the age of twenty one, Zabriske was hired by Francis Marion “Borax” Smith to supervise the Chinese laborer’s. These men worked for the Pacific Coast Borax Company is the Columbus Marsh located near Candelaria. During his thirty six year tenure with the Pacific Coast Borax Company, the company closed up Candelaria operations and relocated to Death Valley to increase production. The company also expanded into the Calico Mountains and Trona, California

Zabriskie Point named for Christian Brevoort Zabriskie - Photo by James L Rathbun
Zabriskie Point named for Christian Brevoort Zabriskie – Photo by James L Rathbun

Zabriske retired from the Pacific Coast Borax Company in 1933 as Vice President and General Manager. All of his work in Death Valley took place before the area was designated National Monument. He passed away just three years later, on February 8thm 1936 at the age of 71. He is buried in Carson City, Nevada.

Zabriske Point is named to honor the man for his many years of service to the Pacific Coast Borax Company.

References

Goldfield Nevada

Posted on by

Goldfield is Nevada State Historical Marker number fourteen and is located in Esmeralda County, Nevada. Goldfield was a boomtown  between 1903 and 1940. Goldfield’s mines produced more than $86 million at then-current prices. Much of the town was destroyed by a fire in 1923, although several buildings survived and remain today, notably the Goldfield Hotel, the Consolidated Mines Building, the schoolhouse.

Photograph of half-tone print of a busy main street in Goldfield, Nevada, ca.1905. The dirt street is crowded with horse-drawn wagons, and pedestrians. Stores and other commercial ventures front most of the small buildings lining the street. A hill is in the background at the end of the street. - Photo Credit “University of Southern California. Libraries” and “California Historical Society” as the source. Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library.
Photograph of half-tone print of a busy main street in Goldfield, Nevada, ca.1905. The dirt street is crowded with horse-drawn wagons, and pedestrians. Stores and other commercial ventures front most of the small buildings lining the street. A hill is in the background at the end of the street. – Photo Credit “University of Southern California. Libraries” and “California Historical Society” as the source. Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library.

Goldfield was established in 1902 when gold was discovered in the surrounding hills. This discovery ignited a rush of prospectors, investors, and opportunists eager to capitalize on the newfound wealth. Unlike other mining towns in Nevada, which primarily focused on silver, Goldfield was notable for its rich gold deposits.

The town’s boom truly began in 1904 when the Consolidated Goldfield Company was formed, consolidating smaller claims and turning mining operations into a large-scale enterprise. By 1906, Goldfield’s population had swelled to over 20,000, making it Nevada’s largest city at the time.

During its heyday, Goldfield was a hub of wealth and activity. The mines produced an estimated $86 million in gold, a staggering amount for the era. The town boasted modern amenities, including electricity, telephones, and luxurious buildings such as the Goldfield Hotel, completed in 1908, which remains an iconic structure to this day.

The town also became a cultural center, hosting boxing matches, theatrical performances, and other events that attracted notable figures, including heavyweight champion Jack Johnson.

Goldfield’s prosperity was not without challenges. In 1907, the Panic of 1907 and declining ore quality began to affect mining profits. Labor disputes further disrupted operations, with a notable miners’ strike in 1907 escalating tensions between workers and mine owners.

A devastating fire in 1923 destroyed much of the town, including many of its iconic buildings. By this time, mining activity had significantly declined, and the town’s population dwindled as residents sought opportunities elsewhere.

Nevada State Historic Marker Text

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.

For a 20-year period prior to 1900 the mining in Nevada fell into a slump that cast the entire state into a bleak depression and caused the loss of one-third of the population.

The picture brightened overnight following the spectacular strikes in Tonopah and, shortly afterwards, in Goldfield. Gold ore was discovered here in December, 1902, by two Nevada-born prospectors, Harry Stimler and Billy Marsh. From 1904 to 1918 Goldfield boomed furiously. The city had a railroad that connected into Las Vegas and a peak population of 20,000. Between 1903- 40 a total of $86,765,044 in metals was produced here.

Neada State Historic Marker #14

Summary

ID14
NameGoldfield Nevada State Historic Marker
LocationEsmeralda County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude37.7076, -117.2335
The Southern Nevada Consolidated Telephone- Telegraph Company Building is located in Goldfield, Nevada and Nevada State Historic Marker #242. Photo by James L Rathbun
The Southern Nevada Consolidated Telephone-
Telegraph Company Building is located in Goldfield, Nevada and Nevada State Historic Marker #242. Photo by James L Rathbun
The Goldfield Hotel located in Goldfield Nevada. Photo by James L Rathbun
The Goldfield Hotel located in Goldfield Nevada. Photo by James L Rathbun
The historic Goldfield Firehouse. Photo by James L Rathbun
The historic Goldfield Firehouse. Photo by James L Rathbun
The court house in Goldfield, Nevada is the Esmeralda County Courthouse and Nevada State Historic Marker #80. Photo by James L Rathbun
The court house in Goldfield, Nevada is the Esmeralda County Courthouse and Nevada State Historic Marker #80. Photo by James L Rathbun

Points of Interest

Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad in Rhyolite

Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad

The Bullfrog and Goldfield Railroad, often referred to as the B&G Railroad, played a significant role in the late 19th and early 20th-century mining boom…
The court house in Goldfield, Nevada is the Esmeralda County Courthouse and Nevada State Historic Marker #80. Photo by James L Rathbun

Esmeralda County Courthouse

The court house in Goldfield, Nevada is the Esmeralda County Courthouse and Nevada State Historic Marker #80. Photo by James L Rathbun The Esmeralda County…
The historic Goldfield Firehouse. Photo by James L Rathbun

Goldfield Fire Station

The Goldfield Historic Fire Station, located in Goldfield, Nevada, is a significant historical structure that stands as a testament to the town's vibrant past during…
The court house in Goldfield, Nevada is the Esmeralda County Courthouse and Nevada State Historic Marker #80. Photo by James L Rathbun

Goldfield Nevada

Goldfield is Nevada State Historical Marker number fourteen and is located in Esmeralda County, Nevada. Goldfield was a boomtown  between 1903 and 1940. Goldfield's mines produced…
The Goldfield Hotel located in Goldfield Nevada. Photo by James L Rathbun

The Goldfield Hotel

The Goldfield Hotel located in Goldfield Nevada. Photo by James L Rathbun The Goldfield Hotel, located at the southeast corner of Crook Avenue (U.S. Route…

References

Palmetto Nevada State Historic Marker #158

Posted on by

Palmetto Nevada is Nevada State Historical Marker number one hundred and fifty eight and is located in Esmeralda County, Nevada. The ghost town is located just off of highway 168 about 30 miles west of Lida, in Esmeralda County, Nevada. The area was founded in 1866, three prospectors, H.W. Bunyard, Thomas Israel and T.W. McNutt worked the area north of the townsite and discovered silver deposits.

Palmetto HSHM

The camp was named Palmetto, when the miners assumed the Joshua Trees in the area were a relative of the Palmetto Tree. A 12-stamp mill was constructed on the site, however the miners could not produce enough the keep the mill in operation. Their fortunes failed and within one year the camp was abandoned.

The mines around Palmetto Nevada soon declined. The populations of these boom towns migrated from site to site looking for opportunity and profit. The next town down the line was Blair, Nevada.

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.

Trail Map

NSHM Marker Text 158

Thinking that local joshua trees were related to palm trees, the 1866 prospectors named the mining camp Palmetto. The town “died” and revived three times.

New prospecting in 1903 caused Palmetto to grow to a town of 200 tents on a platted townsite. At its peak year, 1906, the commercial street, over 1/2 mile long, contained all the necessary mining camp businesses.

Local miners drifted away in autumn, 1906. Mining, on a lease basis, has been minimal since that time. An important talc deposit lies nearby.

Nevada State Historica Marker #158

Nevada State Historic Marker Summary

ID159
NamePalmetto, Nevada
LocationEsmeralda County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude37.4443, -117.6952

References