Death Valley Ghost Towns in Nevada
The stark beauty of the Nevada desert, particularly around Death Valley, holds secrets whispered on the wind – tales of boom and bust, of dreams chased and abandoned. This unforgiving landscape, now largely silent, once echoed with the clang of pickaxes, the roar of stamp mills, and the boisterous revelry of mining towns. These are the Death Valley Ghost Towns in Nevada, remnants of a bygone era when fortunes were sought and often lost in the harsh embrace of the desert. This article explores the fascinating history and present-day remains of these settlements, each a unique testament to the allure and the perils of the American West.
Amargosa
Originally christened Johnnie Station, Amargosa’s history is intrinsically linked to the iron horse. It began as a temporary outpost during the construction of the Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad, intended only as a fleeting stopover while tracks pushed westward toward Rhyolite and Beatty. However, fate intervened when promising strikes were made in the nearby Johnnie mining district, transforming the temporary camp into a permanent fixture.
In December 1901, a post office was established, marking a significant step toward solidifying Amargosa’s identity. With the establishment of the post office came a name change. Reflecting the harsh realities of the desert environment, the settlement was renamed Amargosa, a Spanish word meaning "bitter water." This moniker was a stark reminder of the brackish water drawn from a recently dug well, a resource that defined life in this arid region. Despite its initial promise, the post office proved short-lived, closing its doors just a year later. However, the spirit of Amargosa endured.
In 1904, a new post office opened three miles west of Rhyolite, serving the growing Amargosa community. This marked a turning point, as the tiny settlement began to flourish. A store, a hotel, a restaurant, and a blacksmith shop emerged, catering to the needs of the burgeoning population. Amargosa became a crucial shipping hub for Johnnie and other settlements to the west. A daily stagecoach line connected Amargosa to Johnnie, facilitating the transport of people, goods, and essential supplies. Furthermore, Amargosa served as a vital stopping point and freight depot for those venturing to the newly discovered copper deposits at Greenwater, California.
However, the arrival of the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad in 1907 marked a turning point for Amargosa. With the completion of this new railway line, Amargosa’s shipping activities dwindled, leading to a decline in the town’s fortunes. Soon, only the railroad agent and a single merchant remained, clinging to the fading embers of Amargosa’s former prominence.
Yet, Amargosa refused to fade completely into oblivion. When the mines at Johnnie experienced a resurgence, attracting prospectors and miners once more, people gradually returned to Amargosa. By 1914, the town supported a modest population of approximately 25 residents. However, this revival was short-lived, and within three years, Amargosa was once again abandoned, succumbing to the vagaries of fortune that defined life in the Death Valley Ghost Towns in Nevada. Today, the sole remaining vestige of Amargosa is the substantial concrete foundation of the old station, a silent testament to the town’s brief but vibrant history.
Ashton
Located approximately 15 miles southwest of Beatty, Ashton was a humble water stop along the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad. Unlike its contemporaries, Ashton never truly developed into a полноценное settlement. It remained a simple, functional outpost, providing water for the steam-powered locomotives that traversed the desert landscape. When the railroad ceased operations and pulled out of the region, Ashton’s purpose vanished, and the settlement was promptly abandoned. Today, no discernible remains mark the location of Ashton, leaving its existence relegated to historical records and fading memories.
Beatty
Beatty stands apart from many settlements in this account; it is not a Death Valley Ghost Towns in Nevada. Instead, it is a living community with a population of around 1,100 residents. Its origins trace back to 1905, when the Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad planned its route through the area. The town owes its name to Montillus Murray, affectionately known as "Old Man" Beatty, who established a ranch in the Oasis Valley in 1896 and served as Beatty’s first postmaster.
During its formative year, Beatty relied heavily on horse-drawn wagons for freight transport. Teams of horses or mules hauled goods between the Bullfrog District, encompassing Rhyolite, Bullfrog, Gold Center, Transvaal, and Springdale, and the nearest railroad terminus in Las Vegas. By mid-1905, an estimated 1,500 horses were employed in this vital transportation network. That same year, Beatty witnessed the birth of its first newspaper, the Beatty Bullfrog Miner, providing a voice for the burgeoning community.
The arrival of the railroad in October 1906 transformed Beatty into a major transportation hub. The following year witnessed the arrival of two more railroads: the Bullfrog & Goldfield Railroad in April and the Tonopah & Tidewater in October. This confluence of railway lines solidified Beatty’s position as a crucial link in the region’s transportation infrastructure.
The Panic of 1907, however, cast a shadow over Beatty’s fortunes. As the mining towns that Beatty served declined, the town itself suffered a corresponding decline. The Beatty Bullfrog Miner ceased publication in 1909, leaving residents to rely on the Rhyolite Herald for news. The Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad ceased operations in Beatty in 1918, followed by the Bullfrog & Goldfield Railroad a decade later. Although the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad continued to serve the town, it too eventually pulled out in 1940.
Despite these setbacks, Beatty persevered. In the 1940s, Nellis Air Force Base and other federal installations injected new life into the town’s economy. Tourism, fueled by the proximity of Death Valley National Park and the burgeoning entertainment scene in Las Vegas, further contributed to Beatty’s resilience. By 1950, the town was home to 485 people. A new mine opened west of Beatty in 1988, causing a temporary surge in population. However, this boom was short-lived, and the population soon returned to its previous level. Today, Beatty houses the Beatty Museum and Historical Society and caters to the tourist trade.
Bonnie Claire
Bonnie Claire, also known by several other names, including Clare, Clair, Thorp’s Wells, Thorp, Montana Station, Summerville, and Gold Mountain, boasts a rich and varied history. Mining activities commenced in the area as early as the 1880s, leading to the construction of a small stamp mill at a site known as Thorp’s Wells. This mill served the needs of several mines near Gold Mountain. In 1904, the Bonnie Claire Bullfrog Mining Company acquired the mill, giving rise to a small camp and a stage line connecting Bullfrog and Goldfield. In September 1906, the Bullfrog-Goldfield Railroad reached the settlement, and a townsite was platted under the name Bonnie Claire. The community peaked with a population of about 100 people. The Panic of 1907 scared investors. In 1925, the construction of Scotty’s Castle provided a brief boost to the town.
The railroad pulled out of Bonnie Claire in 1928, leading to the town’s decline. The post office closed, and the railroad tracks were removed in 1931. Later, the area was revived by the Lippincott Smelter, which processed lead ore from 1935 to 1953. Today, Bonnie Claire stands as one of the intriguing Death Valley Ghost Towns in Nevada, offering a glimpse into the region’s mining past.
Bowlerville
Bowlerville, a mining camp established in the early 20th century, was located a few miles south of the Johnnie Mine. Its name was a tribute to Fred Bowler, the mine’s owner.
Browne’s Camp
Browne’s Camp, situated in Nye County, Nevada, was a short-lived mining camp that emerged around 1907. However, the ore deposits proved insufficient to sustain operations, leading to the camp’s abandonment. By the 1920s, Browne’s Camp had vanished from maps, leaving no trace of its existence.
Bullfrog
Bullfrog, also known as Bonanza and Amargosa City, was founded in 1904 after Shorty Harris discovered gold nearby. The entire tent town of Original (also called Amargosa) moved to the Bullfrog townsite in March 1905. Bullfrog declined as Rhyolite grew, and in 1907, it was nearly empty. The town’s last large building burned to the ground in June 1906. Today, all that is left of the old townsite are the remains of an ice house and a jail.
Carrara
Carrara, a town built on marble quarrying, was officially dedicated in 1913. A cement company built several buildings about a mile north of the townsite in 1936. At the town site itself, little is left but a few foundations.
Charlestown
Charlestown, a railroad and mining camp, came into existence in 1906. The camp was abandoned when the railroad tore up its tracks in 1918. Only some wood rubble marks the site.
Chloride City
Chloride City was established in 1905 when the Bullfrog strike brought people into the area to re-work old mining claims.
Currie Well
Currie Well’s claim to fame rests mainly on its use as a desert watering hole for stages and trains traveling between Rhyolite and Goldfield.
Gold Bar
Gold Bar started in 1905 at the base of the Gold Bar Mine and the Homestake-King Mine and Mill. By 1908, the recession caused by the Panic of 1907 caught up with Gold Bar, and operations began to slow down and eventually stop. There is nothing left of the mining camp.
Gold Center
Gold Center was established in December 1904 and served as a transportation hub and critical water source for Bullfrog, Rhyolite, and Carrara.
Johnnie
The story of Johnnie begins with the “Lost Breyfogle Mine.” The camp that grew up around the mine was first known as Montgomery, but the mine was known as the Johnnie Mine. When several new discoveries were made in 1905, the Congress Mine reopened. Though the site has numerous remains, including a few wood cabins, it is on private property, and visitors are not allowed.
Leeland
Leeland was another Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad station that was established in 1906. There is little left but the foundations of the water tank and other railroad debris.
Longstreet Cabin
This historic cabin was originally built in 1895 by Jack Longstreet. The Longstreet Cabin was rebuilt by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the same location, with the stones from the original building.
Manse Ranch
Also known as Yount’s Ranch, this place was first settled by Joseph Yount and his family in the 1870s. Today, it still operates as a ranch and a dairy farm.
Mexican Camp
Located in the Grapevine Mountains, Mexican Camp was the site of a short-term wood-cutting operation during the early years of the Bullfrog boom.
Monarch Canyon Mine
Founded in 1905, this gold mine was located in the South Bullfrog District in Monarch Canyon. Today, the remains of the mill cascade down the mountainside.
Original
First called Amargosa, this small mining camp grew up near the Original Bullfrog Mine. There are no remains today.
Pioneer
Located between the Mayflower and Pioneer Mines, the mining camp started in 1908.
Rose’s Well
Beginning as a stage stop, Rose’s Well was, for a time, the only spot between Beatty and Las Vegas that offered shelter, meals, and other accommodations.
Rhyolite
Called the Queen City of Death Valley, Rhyolite once boasted a population of 6,000 people. The financial Panic of 1907 caused the boom town to decline. Today, it is one of the most famous Death Valley Ghost Towns in Nevada due to its many still-standing buildings.
Springdale
Before the coming of settlers to the area, this site was long used by Native Americans.
Sterling
The discovery of the Sterling Mine was made in 1869 but was never highly productive.
Strozzi Ranch
Located two miles southeast of the Phinney Mine, this was the scene of a 1930s-era ranching effort in the Grapevine Mountains.
Telluride
A very small camp, Telluride never had a population of more than 25 people.
Transvaal
One of the fastest growing and dying boom towns in Nevada mining history, this camp started in February 1906. There are no remains except some mine dumps. These Death Valley Ghost Towns in Nevada offer a poignant reminder of the fleeting nature of fortune and the enduring power of the desert landscape.