Tag: Ghost town

A ghost town, once a thriving settlement bustling with activity, now stands eerily silent and abandoned. Its streets, once filled with the sounds of daily life, are now overgrown with weeds and lined with crumbling buildings. Windows are shattered, doors hang askew on rusty hinges, and the once-vibrant facades are faded and weather-beaten. The air is thick with a haunting stillness, broken only by the occasional whisper of wind through the desolate alleys. Remnants of its former inhabitants’ lives are scattered throughout—rusted vehicles, tattered curtains, and forgotten toys, all hinting at a sudden, unplanned departure. Nature slowly reclaims the area, with ivy crawling up walls and trees sprouting from cracked pavements, adding an eerie, yet strangely beautiful, touch to the decaying landscape.

Oatman Arizona – Mohave County Ghost Town

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Oatman Arizona is a small community with a rich history located in Black Mountains in Mohave County, Arizona. Located near Bullhead City, the town of was named for a young woman, Olive Oatman, whos family migrated west and was mascaraed by Native Americans in 1851. She was captured at the young age of fourteen, and traded to the Mohave Tribe were her face was tattooed. She was released in 1856 at Fort Yuma.

Mines of the Oatman district; Up Gold Road Gulch, showing the surface relations of the Gold Road mine, right to left the following are identified; Gold Road Mill, No. 1 shaft, and No. 3 shaft. All the rock included in the view is the Gold Road latite. The generally easterly dip of the flows is distinctly shown. Mohave County, Arizona. 1921.
Mines of the Oatman district; Up Gold Road Gulch, showing the surface relations of the Gold Road mine, right to left the following are identified; Gold Road Mill, No. 1 shaft, and No. 3 shaft. All the rock included in the view is the Gold Road latite. The generally easterly dip of the flows is distinctly shown. Mohave County, Arizona. 1921.

The mining community first saw activity in 1863 when a prospector,  Johnny Moss, came into the Black Mountains and discovered gold. He placed several claims which he named for himself and Ms. Oatman. Mining activity continued the sputter for the next fifty years until the cost of transportation was reduced to allow a profitably venture.

1838–1903, by Benjamin F. Powelson (1823–1885), Albumen silver print, c. 1863, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
1838–1903, by Benjamin F. Powelson (1823–1885), Albumen silver print, c. 1863, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

In 1915, the town of Oatman was founded following the opening of the Tom Reed mine, and a rich ore deposit in the near by United Eastern Mining Company’s claim. The stage was set and the town become another gold boom town. From 1915 to 1917 the town grew and its mines produced about 10 million dollars and the population swelled to over 3,000 people.

The town continued to flourish in spite of a fire in 1921 which destroyed many of the smaller buildings. Oatmans sunset came with world war 2, when the war effort demanded a need for non-precious metals and the mining operations ceased at this location.

Tom Reed Mine, Oatman, Arizona, 1935
Tom Reed Mine, Oatman, Arizona, 1935

Today, the ghost town has a population of just over 100 citizens, who, host over 500,000 tourists each year who come to visit the town and its wandering population of burro. This towns existence at this point if no doubt to its proximity to historic Route 66 and Interstate 40 and remains a popular destination.

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Goodsprings Nevada – Clark County Ghost Town

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Goodsprings, Nevada is locate about seven miles west of the I-15 near Jean, Nevada.  Mining activity in the area started in 1868 when a group of prospectors formed the New England district and since renamed the Yellow Pine.  Early efforts where soon abandoned due to the lack of silver in the ore.  The prospectors soon moved on, and Joe Good remained and the local springs were named for him.  In 1886, several prospectors from Utah came into the area and founded a permanent site which still exists today.

Goodsprings, Nevada - 1924
Goodsprings, Nevada – 1924

In 1892, the Keystone gold mine was discovered and established during an increase in activity due to the completion of the Nevada Southern Railways from Goffs, CA to Manvel.    The Keystone mine remained active until 1906 and produced some $600,000 in gold before closing.

An old water tower located inside Goodspings, Nevada
An old water tower located inside Goodspings, Nevada

1901 saw the consolidation of several mines into the Yellow Pine Mining Co.  Only the highest grade ore made it cost effective to deliver to the railroad in Manvel, some 45 miles away from the site.  In 1905, the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake railroad was completed to Jean, Nevada which shortened the distance to deliver down to 7 miles.  Mining activity continued to flourish with improved mining technique, higher mineral costs and lowered delivery costs all of which lean to a peak in production between 1915 and 1918.  During this time the site boasted 800 souls, several stores, a post office, hotel, hospital and a weekly paper.  As with many towns, mining production and profitability waned and the population fell.

The Pioneer Saloon located in Goodsprings, Nevada is still open and quite busy
The Pioneer Saloon located in Goodsprings, Nevada is still open and quite busy

Goodsprings Mines

  • Alice Mine
  • Argentina Mine
  • Belle Mine
  • Columbia Mine
  • Cosmopolitan Mine
  • Fredrickson Mine
  • Green Copper Mine
  • Hermosa Mine
  • Hoosier Mine
  • Iron gold Mine
  • Lookout Mine
  • Keystone Mine
  • Lavina Mine
  • Middlesex Mine
  • Surprise Mine
  • Table Top Mine
  • Yellow Pine
The mill site located just outside of Goodsprings, Nevada
The mill site located just outside of Goodsprings, Nevada

Goodsprings Nevada Trailmap

Delamar Nevada – Lincoln County Ghost Town

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Delamar Nevada in the 1890's. Many of the buildings were transported from nearby Pioche on wagons. After the devastating fire in 1909, most of the remaining wooden buildings were transported back to Pioche.
Delamar Nevada in the 1890’s. Many of the buildings were transported from nearby Pioche on wagons. After the devastating fire in 1909, most of the remaining wooden buildings were transported back to Pioche.

Nicknamed “The Widowmaker”, Delamar, Nevada is a ghost town and gold mining town in Monkeywrench Wash, Lincoln County, Nevada. Prospectors and Farmers from Pahranagat, John Fergusen and Joseph Sharp officially discovered gold in 1889 around Monkeywrench Wash. This event lead to the founding of the Fergusen Mining District and a camp of that name was established. Initial assays ranged from $75 to $1000 per ton of gold ore. This was more than enough to attract the attention of investors.

Meanwhile, the camp grew and Furgusen, or “Golden City” was a small tent town located near the Monkeywrench mine. The tent city of Helene was founded near the Magnolia Mine, and published a news paper, the The Fergusen Lode. A Post Office was opened in 1892.

Dutch-American businessman Joseph Raphael De Lamar
Dutch-American businessman Joseph Raphael De Lamar

De Lamar arrives

Dutch-American businessman Joseph Raphael De Lamar, an investor our of Montana, purchase the principal claims in 1983 for $150,000. He renamed the Fergusen district to Delamar, an obvious rework of this name. De Lamar founded three towns, one each in Idaho, Nevada and California, all of which bare his name. De Lamars investment centralized the people of the area and soon the smaller tent cities closed. The Furgusen Load was remaned to “The Delamar Load” in June 1894 and a post office was founded at the new town site later the same year.

The new town grew fast and by 1895 hosted more than 1500 residents. The citizens enjoyed an opera house, hospital, several churches, schools and a variety of saloons. Many of the towns structures are built from nearby rock. A new mill was processing up to 260 tons of gold ore each day by the end of 1896.

The Delamar Lode newspaper office, 1890s. Delamar, Nevada. The young assistant, to the left, is known as a printer's devil.
The Delamar Lode newspaper office, 1890s. Delamar, Nevada. The young assistant, to the left, is known as a printer’s devil.

The town and mines of Delamar were the premiere mines of Nevada from 1895 to 1900. The town developed a second cyanide plant to aide in gold production in 1987. This plant was capable of processing 400 tons per day of gold rich ore.

A 900 feet deep well failed to produce failed a source of water for the down. As a result, two pipes were run 12 miles to Meadow Valley Wash and brought the water up 1500 in elevation to supply the town with water. Supplies were packed into Delamar from Milford, Utah, a distance of over 150 miles.

The WidowMaker

The town was nicknamed the Widow Maker. Poor Ventalation within the dry process mills produce a silica dust. This airborne dust drifted in the air within the mines and mills. The mine works would breathe this dust in and develop a fatal illness, silicosis. “Delamar Dust” and the town became known as “The Maker of Widows”. Despite this public warning, there was no shortage of miners, whom made just $3 / day.

There were an estimated 400 widows in Delamar, which for a population of 3000, in 1897, was quite high.

In the spring of 1900, fire destroyed about half of the town. Two years later, De Lamar divested his holding in his mines after they produced $8.5 million. The town still ranked high in the state gold production race. Despite this fact, the last major mine was closed in 1909 and the town collapsed.

Delamar Town Summary

NameDelamar
Also Known As“The Widow Maker”
LocationLincoln County, Nevada
Population3000
Newspaper
Ferguson Lode (The) Sept 19, 1892 – Dec 24, 1894
DeLamar Lode (The) Jan 7, 1895 – June 1906
Local Messenger June 7, 1898 – Jan 5, 1901
De La Mar Roaster Mar 18, 1900

Delamar Map

Resources

Carrara Nevada – Nye County Ghost Town

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Carrara in Nye County Nevada

Carrara Ghost town is a small ghost town and marble mine located about ten miles south of Beatty in Nye County, Nevada on the east side of US 95.

In 1904 first attempts to quarry the high quality marble at the Carrara site. These initial efforts failed with the inability to produce larger slabs from the highly fractured and unstable marble.  More suitable deposits of marble are found in 1911. The American Carrara Marble Company laid out the Carrara town. The town was named for Carrara, Italy, which produced world class marble. 

A Metropolis in waiting

The marble is hauled by a standard cable railway down three miles from the quarry to town. This designed utilized town cars on a single track. At the midway point, siding in the tracked allowed the two trains to pass each other in opposing directions. The car at the top of the track loaded with marble would supply all the pull the empty car at the bottom of the track up the mountain on a free return.

Rail lines were already available in the Vegas and Tonopah Railroad. Water is pumped from Gold Center, NV using a nine mile long pipe line. The supply was generous enough to allow the town to boast a town fountain, which would shoot water six feet into the air. The fountain was built by the Marble Company to promote the appearance of longevity for the fledgling town.

The rail road line to town is completed in 1914. Soon thereafter, large marble blocks, which could weight up to 15 tons, are shipped to Los Angeles. In Los Angeles, the large marble blocks are cut to size, finished and polished.

Eventually, the company with founded the town lost profits. The towns people saw hardship and soon moved away. With the exception of a few hangers on, the town is gone in 1924.

The town boasted a newspaper appropriately named the Carrara Obelisk ( 5/8/1913 – 09/1916 ), a post office, hotel, store, saloon and restaurant to serve the 150 people who called the place home. The site contained  about 40 buildings. The post office was open from May 5, 1913 to September 15, 2914.

Carrara Town Summary

NameCarrara Nevada
LocationNye County, Nevada
Population 150
Post OfficeMay 5, 1913 – September 15, 2914
NewspapersCarrara Obelisk Feb 7, 1914 – Sept 9, 1916
Carrara Miner July 21, 1929

Carrara Trail Map

Resources

Skidoo California – Inyo County Ghost Town

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Skidoo California was famous in the first decade of the 20th century when gold had been found in Inyo County and the town established in 1905. The towns existence was support by the output and economy driven by the gold mines. Within a decade the town was left deserted abandoned. At this time few structures remain and access to the mines are closed to prevent accidents.

Skidoo, CA 1907
Skidoo California, 1907

Right here on the border line between California and Nevada, just a few miles from arid within speaking distance of Nevada’s big, bonanza gold camps of Goldfield, Rhyolite, Tonopah, California promises to give birth to the most wonderful gold mines America has yet produced . . . . Here the golden goddess is again singing her siren song of enchantment and California is again beckoning to the world with a finger of gold: and the world is listening, and looking, and coming–TO SKIDOO!

Rhyolite Herald, 4 January 1907

Skidoo, originally known as Hoveck, is typical of mining towns, which flourished so long as the mines continued to produce. The small town of Hoveck was named for Matt Hoveck, who managed the Skidoo mine. The town was named Skidoo in 1907. The name Skidoo was derived from the slang phrase “23 Skidoo” which was quite popular at this time.

Cook's horse-drawn wagon at Death Valley's gold mining camp, Skiddo.
Cook’s horse-drawn wagon at Death Valley’s gold mining camp, Skiddo.

The Skidoo Mine operated from 1906 and 1917. During operation the mine produced about 75,000 ounces of gold, which would have been worth about 1.6 million dollars. The mill in Skidoo was the only desert mill which operated complete using water. The water to power the mill was piped in from Telescope Peak was a feat of engineering and work of this still scars the landscape.

The Skidoo News is founded by James G. Sterrett and Edwin S. Drury when they arrive from Encapement, Wyoming with a four horse load and printing material.

The Skidoo Mine is located 65 miles north of Trona, California, at 6500 ft. elevation. The property was established in 1906; the mill erected in 190?. The mill burned and was reconstructed in 1913. Owner: Skidoo Mines Co., Skidoo, CA. C. W. Cross, president, and Crynski , superintendent .

Two systems of quartz veins occur in a pegmatite granite. The main vein system strikes M-SE and the other E~W. The veins average from 18″ to 2 ‘ in width, with a maximum of 4’.

The ore is free milling and values average about $15.00 per ton. Ore is hauled to the mill through tunnels. The mill equipment consists of: ten 850-lb. stamps, five 1150-lb. stamps and amalgamation tables. Table tailings run to the cyanide plant and precipitated in zinc boxes. The mill is operated by water conveyed in an 8″ pipeline 21 miles
from Telescope Peak. The pipe was installed at a cost of over $200,000, 35 men were employed at the mine mill. Total production to date over $1,500,000,

California State Mining Bureau’s “Report of State Mineralogist,” 1915-16, Report XV:
Rare Air Photograph of Skidoo California Taken from the air in 1923
Rare Air Photograph of Skidoo California Taken from the air in 1923

The remains of the town of Skidoo are located within Death Valley National Monument and Inyo County.

The fifteen-stamp mill built by the Skidoo Mines Company is a rare surviving example of an early 20th-century gravity-feed system for separating gold from its ore.

Town Summary

NameSkidoo
LocationInyo County, California
Latitude, Longitude36.4355016, -117.1475604
GNIS1656631
Elevation5689 ft / 1734 m
NewspaperSkidoo News
National Register of Places74000349

Skidoo Trail Map

Resouces