Rhyolite, Nevada – Little More Than a Memory
Nestled in the arid landscape of Nye County, Nevada, a few miles west of Beatty and a stone’s throw from the eastern entrance of Death Valley, lies Rhyolite, a ghost town that whispers tales of a bygone era. Once a bustling boomtown fueled by the promise of gold, today, Rhyolite stands as a poignant reminder of the ephemeral nature of fortune and the relentless passage of time. Its crumbling walls, weathered structures, and haunting silence evoke a powerful sense of history, inviting visitors to step back in time and imagine the vibrant life that once pulsed through its streets.
The story of Rhyolite began with a glint of gold, a spark of hope in the vast Nevada desert. On August 9, 1904, Frank "Shorty" Harris and Ernest L. Cross struck it rich, discovering a significant gold deposit a few miles south of where Rhyolite would soon emerge. They christened their claim "Bullfrog," and when samples were assayed in nearby Goldfield, the results were astounding: $665 per ton. As Shorty Harris famously described it, the quartz was "just full of free gold," a "crackerjack" find that heralded the dawn of a new mining district.
Word of the discovery spread like wildfire, igniting a frenzied gold rush. Prospectors, dreamers, and opportunists flooded the area, establishing a constellation of mining camps, each vying for prominence. Bullfrog, Amargosa, Jumpertown, Leadfield, Gold Center, and numerous others dotted the landscape, a testament to the allure of quick riches. Shorty Harris, ever the optimist, proclaimed that the district would become the "banner camp of Nevada," a prediction that, for a brief moment in time, seemed destined to come true.
Amidst the burgeoning chaos, a group of entrepreneurs – A.G. Cushman, Percy Stanley, C.H. Elliot, and Frank J. Busch – recognized the need for a centralized townsite. They staked their claim and named it Rhyolite, after the silica-rich volcanic rock in which the gold was embedded. In February 1905, lots were offered for sale at $50 apiece, and the race to build a city in the desert was officially on. One of the first structures to rise from the dusty earth was the two-story Southern Hotel, a symbol of ambition and a much-needed haven for weary travelers. Water, a precious and scarce commodity, was carted in at exorbitant prices, highlighting the challenges of life in this remote and unforgiving environment.
Within months, the rush to Rhyolite intensified. H.D. and L.D. Porter, resourceful merchants from Randsburg, braved the treacherous journey across Death Valley, bringing with them much-needed supplies. They paid a staggering $1,200 for their lot, a clear indication of the escalating land values and the fervent belief in Rhyolite’s future. The Porters erected a substantial stone building, quickly establishing themselves as the leading merchants in the district. By this time, over 2,000 mining claims blanketed a 30-mile radius around the Bullfrog Mining District. The most promising of these was the Montgomery-Shoshone mine, whose rich veins of gold drew prospectors and investors alike, fueling the rapid growth of the Rhyolite townsite.
The town exploded with activity. Buildings sprang up seemingly overnight, a chaotic mix of saloons, restaurants, boarding houses, and businesses catering to the needs and desires of a burgeoning population. Alongside the hardworking miners came a wave of shrewd businessmen, eager to capitalize on the real estate boom and the speculative stock market. They peddled shares in Rhyolite ventures from coast to coast, promising untold riches. But as history would reveal, these promises were largely built on sand.
By the spring of 1905, Rhyolite was connected to the outside world by three stage lines, bringing in supplies and eager passengers. The Tonopah and Goldfield Auto Company introduced the first auto stage, further accelerating the pace of development. By May, the town boasted a population of approximately 1,500, with numerous buildings constructed of concrete and stone, a testament to the ambition and resourcefulness of its inhabitants. The first issue of the Rhyolite Herald, a local newspaper, was published by Earle R. Clemens, providing a vital source of information and a platform for community discourse. A post office, initially housed in a humble ten-by-twelve-foot tent on Golden Street, was established, connecting Rhyolite to the national mail network.
Mail service, though initially irregular, was soon streamlined. The first postmaster was Anna B. Moore, an eighteen-year-old woman, assisted by her husband, Joe. By June, Rhyolite had established an efficient water system, alleviating the burden of expensive carted water.
Like many mining camps of the Wild West, Rhyolite was not immune to violence. The abundance of saloons and the presence of rugged men often led to disputes and altercations. In October 1905, the town experienced its first killing, a consequence of a quarrel in Wandell’s Saloon.
Despite the occasional outbreaks of violence, the residents of Rhyolite were committed to building a civilized community. A town meeting was held, and the decision was made to establish a school. Completed in 1906, the school initially enrolled around 90 children. By May of the same year, the student population had swelled to nearly 250.
The hastily constructed schoolhouse was destroyed by heavy winds in September 1906. Classes were temporarily relocated to the county hospital building. In the fall of 1906, the city approved a budget of $420,000 for a new, permanent school structure. However, the new concrete building wouldn’t open until January 1909.
1906 was a year of remarkable progress for Rhyolite. The town secured an ample water supply, thanks to the presence of three separate water companies. Countess Morajeski delighted the local residents by opening the Alaska Glacier Ice Cream Parlor. Ernest L. Cross, one of the original discoverers of gold in the area, sold his share of the Bullfrog claim for $125,000 and purchased a ranch near San Diego, California, where he lived until his death in 1958. Shorty Harris, on the other hand, remained a prospector, forever searching for the next big strike in the unforgiving desert.
The year was marred by occasional outbreaks of violence. On May 18, 1906, a man named Steve O’Brien stabbed his wife with a miner’s candlestick. When a town deputy sheriff and the judge arrived, O’Brien stabbed the judge. The deputy retaliated by shooting and killing O’Brien. Months later, on October 26, 1906, a dispute over money led to the death of Tom J. Malone, who was fatally shot by Jack Maher. Maher was arrested and tried, but ultimately acquitted on the grounds of self-defense.
Like most mining camps, Rhyolite had a thriving red-light district, drawing women from as far away as San Francisco. Concerned citizens protested to the Board of Trade, the town’s only local government at the time. The authorities decided to segregate the red-light district from the rest of the town, establishing clear boundaries. Amargosa Street, between Broadway and Colorado Streets, served as the north and south boundary, while the alley between Main and Amargosa marked the western boundary. Prostitutes were forbidden from crossing these lines, including entering saloons outside the designated area. However, they were free to venture as far east as they pleased.
Despite the presence of a red-light district, Rhyolite fostered an active social life. Residents enjoyed baseball games, dances, whist parties, tennis matches, a symphony, Sunday school picnics, basketball games, Saturday night variety shows at the opera house, and pool tournaments.
At this time, Rhyolite lacked its own jail, and lawmen had to transport offenders to a jail in Bullfrog. The cost of $15 per day to rent a horse rig prompted the town to build its own jail.
In 1906, an enterprising miner named Tom T. Kelly constructed the Bottle House, using an estimated 50,000 beer and liquor bottles. This unique structure still stands today, and local volunteers occasionally offer tours. Rhyolite also witnessed the construction of two railroads – the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad and the Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad. The LV&T sent the first passenger train into Rhyolite on December 14, 1906, passing through the heart of the residential district. The T&T Railroad later passed through the outskirts of town. At its peak, the railroad sidings could accommodate 105 train cars waiting to be unloaded of incoming freight and reloaded with outgoing ore.
By the end of 1906, Rhyolite boasted several hotels, stores, an ice plant, two electric plants, foundries, machine shops, a miner’s union hospital, a stock exchange, and a Board of Trade.
In January 1907, a network of 400 electric streetlight poles were installed in Rhyolite, and the town offered plumbing and telephone service. A number of impressive buildings were erected, including a three-story bank building and a large mercantile store. In March 1907, the jail was built out of concrete with four steel cells.
The Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad depot, constructed of cut stone hauled from Las Vegas, was completed. On June 18, 1907, Rhyolite welcomed yet another passenger train – the Bullfrog & Goldfield. In August, a mill capable of processing 300 tons of ore per day was completed at the Montgomery Shoshone Mine. The mine had gained national recognition thanks to Bob Montgomery’s boast that he could extract $10,000 worth of ore per day.
By this time, Rhyolite had reached a population of about 10,000 and supported 45 saloons, an opera house, a slaughterhouse, two railroad depots, three public swimming pools, and dozens of businesses. Over eighty-five mining companies were actively working the hills surrounding the city.
However, in the summer of 1907, the American economy began to show signs of weakness. A number of businesses and Wall Street brokerages went bankrupt.
In October, the failure of the Knickerbocker Trust in New York City and the Westinghouse Electric Company triggered a series of events known as the Panic of 1907. This financial crisis would prove to be the downfall of Rhyolite.
The stock market plummeted, and depositors rushed to withdraw their funds from banks. Because most of Rhyolite’s investors were from the east, they began to pull out their backing. Smaller mines began to close, but the devastating effects of the panic did not dramatically affect Rhyolite until the spring of 1908.
In January 1908, the John S. Cook Bank building was completed. Today, its ruins are the most photographed site of all Nevada ghost towns. A large mercantile store and an impressive train station were also built. The post office, having outgrown its tent, was reestablished in a frame building on Broadway. In July 1908, it relocated to the 30 x 70 basement of the Cook Bank Building.
However, these developments were too little, too late for Rhyolite.
After the Panic of 1907, more and more mines began to close, and banks started to fail. At about the same time, the gold started to dwindle in the area mines. Soon, the trains were mostly filled with people leaving town.
When gold was discovered at the Pioneer Mine in 1909, several miles away, half of Rhyolite’s population moved to Pioneer. The new two-story brick schoolhouse, which included classrooms and an auditorium, was completed at this time. However, it was used only briefly and never filled to capacity. By the end of 1909, the population had fallen well below 1,000. The town continued to struggle to stay alive, hoping for a new boom that never arrived.
By 1910, production at the Montgomery-Shoshone mill had slowed to $246,661, and only 611 residents remained in Rhyolite. On March 14, 1911, the directors voted to close down the Montgomery Shoshone Mine and Mill. It had grossed almost $2 million and netted about $1.5 million, but it was severely in debt to the tune of about $200,000, mostly because of the mill. Two weeks after the mine shut down, the final issue of the Rhyolite Herald was published, and Clemens left for the coast.
By 1915, the town had only 20 people. The next year, the power and lights were turned off. By 1920, Rhyolite’s population was just 14, and its last resident died in 1924.
Soon, the weeds began to overgrow the town. People continued to visit to see the old railroad station and the Bottle House. The bottle building was restored and re-roofed by Paramount Pictures in 1925 for a movie set, then given to the Beatty Improvement Association for maintenance as a historical site.
In 1936, N.C. Westmoreland rescued the depot and converted it into a casino and museum. His sister H.H. Heisler maintained it later as a museum and curio shop. Today, it is closed and owned by the Bureau of Land Management. It is one of the few complete buildings left in the town.
Paramount Pictures returned and used the deteriorating Cook Bank as a Mexican ruin, further damaging it in the process.
Today, visitors can find several remnants of Rhyolite’s glory days. Some of the walls of the three-story bank building are still standing, as is part of the old jail. The Bottle House and a small stone cabin have been rehabilitated. The ghost town of Rhyolite is located on both federal and private land.
At the edge of Rhyolite sits the Goldwell Open Air Museum off the road leading to Death Valley, California. The Museum began in 1984 with the creation and installation of a major sculpture by Belgian artist Albert Szukalski titled "The Last Supper" – a ghostly interpretation of Christ and his disciples sitting against a backdrop of the expansive Amargosa Valley. Over the years, other artists have created various sculptures and displays at the 15-acre outdoor sculpture park.
Located four miles west of the town of Beatty, Nevada, on Highway 374 in Nye County, and near the East entrance to Death Valley, Rhyolite offers photographers, explorers, and ghost town enthusiasts a unique historical experience.
