Most ghost towns in Nevada in the United States are former mining boomtowns that were abandoned when the mines closed. Those that were not set up as mining camps were usually established as locations for mills, or supply points for nearby mining operations.

In Clark County, settlements along the Colorado River have been submerged underneath the reservoirs of Lake Mead or Lake Mohave.

Conditions

Ghost towns can include sites in various states of disrepair and abandonment. Some sites no longer have any trace of buildings or civilization, and have reverted to empty land. Other sites are unpopulated but still have standing buildings. Still others may support full-time residents, though usually far fewer than at their historical peak, while others may now be museums or historical sites.

For ease of reference, the sites listed have been placed into one of the following general categories.

Barren site
  • Site is no longer in existence
  • Site has been destroyed, covered with water, or has reverted to empty land
  • May have at most a few difficult-to-find foundations/footings
Neglected site
  • Little more than rubble remains at the site
  • Dilapidated, often roofless buildings remain at the site
Abandoned site
  • Buildings or houses still standing, but all or almost all are abandoned
  • No population, with the possible exception of a caretaker
  • Site no longer in use, except for one or two buildings
Semi-abandoned site
  • Buildings or houses still standing, but most are abandoned
  • A few residents may remain
Historic site
  • Buildings or houses still standing
  • Site has been converted to a historical site, museum, or tourist attraction
  • Still a busy community, but population is smaller than in its peak years

List of ghost towns in Nevada

Nevada ghost towns
Town Other namesImageCountyEstablishedDisestablishedStatusNotes
Alturas Clark1861In El Dorado Canyon near Techatticup Mine in the Colorado Mining District.
Aurora Mineral1860Neglected siteUsed to be almost as 'complete' as Bodie, Califiornia, but town has now been destroyed by vandals and lies in ruin.
Austin Lander1862Historic siteOne of the largest towns in Nevada in the end of the 19th century; still populated
Beatty Nye1905Historic siteAround Indian Springs, Nevada
Belleville Mineral1872 (1915)1892 (1918)A mining boom town, rendered obsolete in 1892 by advances in technology. Had a brief revival in 1915 which ended in 1918.[1][2]
Belmont
Nye18651922Semi-abandoned siteFormer Nye County courthouse in Belmont is preserved as Belmont Courthouse State Historic Park.[3]
Berlin Nye18971911Historic sitePreserved within Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park[4]
Bermond Station FrenchmanChurchill19201926The site was also known as Frenchman or "Frenchy's and later as Bermond Station from 1920 to 1926.[5]
Blair Esmeralda19061916Neglected siteThe site of the largest stamp mill in Nevada (100 stamps), at the time[5]
Bristol Wells Lincoln18721905Abandoned site
Broken Hills Mineral19131940Neglected site
Bullfrog Nye19041907Neglected siteFounded just south of Rhyolite, had a rivalry with Rhyolite. Rhyolite eventually won out before becoming a ghost town as well.
Bullionville Lincoln18701882Barren siteA reliable water supply supported milling in town until nearby Pioche built waterworks to supply water to Pioche mills. Afterward, Bullioniville was slowly abandoned.[5]
Cactus Springs Nye19101935
Callville Clark18641869Submerged under Callville Bay of Lake MeadSteamboat landing, County seat of Pah-Ute County, Arizona Territory (1865–67), post office (1867-69)
Candelaria Mineral18641939Neglected siteThe Northern Belle mine produced 15 million dollars in silver during production.[6]
Chafey Dun GlenPershing19081913Was originally called Dun Glen.[5]
Charleston Elko18761956Abandoned site
Clifton Lander1862Semi-abandoned siteJust west of Austin.
Coaldale Esmeralda18941993Neglected site
Cobre Elko
Colorado City Clark1861Submerged under Lake MohaveSteamboat landing near the mouth of El Dorado Canyon in the Colorado Mining District.
Columbus Esmerelda18651881Neglected site
Como Lyon18611930sPost office 1879–1881, 1903–1905; mining town occupied intermittently, activity finally ceasing in the 1930s after the closing of a sawmill.[5]
Cortez Lander18631930George Hearst mined at the area in the 1860s.
Crystal Springs Lincoln
Currant Nye18651871
Daveytown Humboldt19101930
Deeth Elko18691915A depot and trading center for local ranchers and ranchers from adjacent counties.
Delamar Lincoln18901909In 1897, Delamar had a population of 3000.[5]
Delano Elko18721927The town was the site of a small gold-mining district that saw production from the 1870s to the 1960s.
Dixie Valley Churchill1861
Dun Glen Pershing18621894Later became Chafey.[5]
EaglevilleMineral18851915Neglected site
El Dorado City Clark18631880sBarren siteMining camp in El Dorado Canyon in the Colorado Mining District. Site of the El Dorado Mills.
Etna Pershing18651872
Fairview Churchill19051919At its height, Fairview had 27 saloons.[5]
Fish Lake Valley Esmeralda
Flanigan Washoe19091973
Fort Churchill LyonPreserved within Fort Churchill State Historic Park[7]
Frenchman Churchill1906 1920The site was also known as Frenchy's and later as Bermond Station 1920–26[5]
Genoa Mormon StationDouglas1851Historic siteOriginally called Mormon Station. Now part of Mormon Station State Historic Park
Golconda Humboldt18691908Golconda's hot springs were a famous landmark for westbound travelers.[5]
Gold Center Nye19041919Barren siteThe origin of Gold Center’s name is a mystery, for it was not the center of anything and it had no gold. It was a critical water source for nearby Bullfrog and Rhyolite and at one time had a large brewery and the only distilled water ice plant in Nevada.
Gold Point Esmeralda
Goldfield Esmeralda1902Historic site
Goodsprings Clark1900
Grantsville Nye
Hamilton Cave CityWhite Pine18681931Hamilton was originally called Cave City, because early arrivals set up camp in nearby caves.[5]
Hardin City Humboldt18581866Neglected
Hiko Lincoln18651882Hiko was a Native American expression meaning "white man's town".[5]
Ione Nye18631930sAt its peak, Ione had 100 houses and a population of 500.[5]
Jacobsville Lander1859Late 1870sA Pony Express station and the first seat of Lander County.
Jarbidge Elko1909
Jessup Churchill1908
Johnnie Nye18901935Barren siteWater in town was scarce. It was drawn from a spring four miles away, packed in canvas bags, and hauled to town by donkeys.[5]
Johntown Lyon18531860sBarren siteConsidered to be the first ghost town of Nevada.[8]
Jungo Humboldt19111952BarrenPost office from January 1911 until May 1952[9]
Lahontan City Churchill19111915NeglectedDeveloped to house workers during the construction of Lahontan Dam[10]
Lander Lander18801921
Logan Lincoln18651930
Louisville Clark18611862In El Dorado Canyon near the Techatticup Mine in the Colorado Mining District.
Lucky Jim Camp Clark1862Barren siteIn El Dorado Canyon near the Techatticup Mine in the Colorado Mining District.
Marietta Mineral18671894Neglected site
Mazuma Pershing19071912Post office: 1907–1912. Site of flash flood that killed at least eight and destroyed most of the town.[5]
Metropolis Elko1909
Midas Gold CircleElko19081942The camp was first called Gold Circle, but when the post office was established in 1907, officials decided that Nevada had too many towns with "gold" in their names, and the town was renamed Midas.[5]
Millers Esmeralda
Miriam ChurchillNon-agency station of the SPRR[11]
Mountain City Elko1870Semi-abandoned site
Nevada City Churchill19161919A co-operative colony
Ocala Churchill
Osceola White Pine
Palisade Eureka18681910
Palmetto Esmeralda18661920sNeglected siteMiners named the town after local Joshua trees, which they thought were related to the palmetto tree.
Parran Churchill1910A telegraph station and post office. Post office closed 1913.[12]
Pine Grove Lyon18661918Abandoned siteSeveral buildings remain.[6]
Pioneer Nye19081931Barren sitePost office 1909–1931
Poeville Washoe18641880Post office 1874–1878
Potosi ClarkBarren site
Quartz Mountain Nye19051922Barren siteLocated inside the Nellis Air Force Base Bombing and Gunnery Range.
Ragtown Churchill1854Leeteville may be the same location.
Rawhide Mineral1907Barren siteRawhide Mining Co. has destroyed any remains of the town. Now it is just an open pit mine.

Devastating fire in 1908, $1 million in property damage and thousands left homeless.[5]

Rhyolite Nye1905[13]1916Abandoned sitePost office closed 1913
Rio Tinto Elko19321948A few houses and the school remain.
Rioville Junction CityClark18691906Site is now under Lake Mead.Originally Junction City, Rioville had a post office from 1881 to 1906.
Rochester Pershing19121942
Ruby Hill Eureka18731910
Ruth White Pine
Saint Joseph Clark18651868BarrenSite located west of the north end of Overton Airport and east of the Muddy River. It burned down in 1868. Town name and population moved to what is now Logandale.
St. Thomas ClarkSubmerged beneath Lake Mead. Ruins became visible when the waters of the lake were lowered.
Salt Wells Churchill2007Site of a borax plant, bar, gas station and former brothel
San Juan Clark1862The camp was abandoned just weeks after being established.[5]
Scossa Pershing19311937One of the last important mining camps in Nevada.[5]
Seven Troughs Pershing19071918
Silver Canyon Lincoln
Simonsville Clark18651870sBarrenOriginally called Mill Point, located west of the south end of Overton Airport and east of the Muddy River.
Spruce Mountain Elko
Star City Pershing
Stillwater Churchill1862
Sulphur HumboldtNeglected
Tempiute Lincoln18681957In the 1950s, the Lincoln mine was one of the primary producers of tungsten in the U.S.[5]
Tenabo Lander19071930s
Treasure City White Pine1869
Tybo Nye
Unionville Pershing
Ute ClarkRailroad siding and site of a silica mill in the 1940s.
Vernon Pershing1905
Vya Washoe
Washoe City Washoe18601910sNeglected site
White Cloud City ChurchillAlso known as Coppereid
White Plains Churchill18791909"No vegetation meets the eye when gazing on the vast expanse of dirty white alkali."[14]
Wonder Churchill1906Post office closed 1920

References

  1. ↑ Moreno, Rich (February 5, 2019). "The story of Belleville's brief, fascinating history". Lahontan Valley News. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Belleville". Nevada State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved April 12, 2020. State Historical Marker No. 154.
  3. ↑ Belmont Courthouse State Historic Park Archived 2012-02-15 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ "Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Historic Park | State Parks". parks.nv.gov. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Paher, Stanley W (1970). Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps. Howell North.
  6. 1 2 "Candelaria". Western mining history. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Fort Churchill State Historic Park | State Parks". parks.nv.gov. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Johntown, the first ghost town in Nevada". Sparks Tribune. July 29, 2017. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Jungo Post Office (historical)". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. September 1, 1991. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  10. ↑ Lahontan City
  11. ↑ Carlson, Helen S. (1985). Nevada place names : a geographical dictionary. Reno: University of Nevada Press. p. 169. ISBN 087417094X.
  12. ↑ Carlson, Helen S. (1985). Nevada place names : a geographical dictionary. Reno: University of Nevada Press. p. 187. ISBN 087417094X.
  13. ↑ "The Most Haunted Ghost Towns". United States Ghost Towns. November 21, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  14. ↑ Carlson, Helen S. (1985). Nevada place names : a geographical dictionary. Reno: University of Nevada Press. p. 245. ISBN 087417094X.
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