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Photos courtesy Travel Nevada
Techatticup Mine
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Photos courtesy Travel Nevada
Techatticup Mine
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Photos courtesy Travel Nevada
Techatticup Mine
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Photos courtesy Travel Nevada
Belmont
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Photos courtesy Travel Nevada
Belmont
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Photos courtesy Travel Nevada
Unionville
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Photos courtesy Travel Nevada
Unionville
By Perry Mack
Creaking timbers in Nevada’s ghost towns have stories to tell, tales of riches sought in wild west boomtowns, infamous criminals roaming the desert, Civil War deserters seeking a hidden haven from the firing squad or hangman’s noose. Follow Nevada’s back roads to reach the state’s ghost towns, once booming centres of mining enterprises and community life. Today, aged wooden structures and crumbling stones mark the places where pioneers and dreamers once struggled to wrest a living from the desert.
Here are a few ghost towns to consider when planning your Nevada road trip:
Techatticup Mine (Eldorado Canyon, near Las Vegas)
Reportedly a preferred hideout for Civil War deserters, Eldorado Canyon, home of the Techatticup Mine, and its corresponding ghost town, is just 70 km (44 mi) south of Las Vegas. The Spanish first mined the isolated canyon for gold in the 1700s; later prospectors established the Colorado Mining District, which included the Techatticup, in the 1860’s. Today, you can explore the ghost town ruins on your own and then take a memorable tour of the oldest, richest and most famous gold mine in Southern Nevada with Eldorado Canyon Mine Tours. The historic site is also a ‘gold mine’ for photographers, providing excellent subject matter for photos and videos, and has been used as a backdrop for a number of productions. http://eldoradocanyonminetours.com
For more information on Eldorado Canyon and Techatticup Mine tours, click here or visit TravelNevada.ca and type “Techatticup” into the search field.
Belmont (Mid-state, North of AREA 51)
Infamous criminal Charles Manson once may have camped in Belmont, about 72 km (45 mi) north of Tonopah in Nye County. However, the town predates the alleged Manson visit by almost a century. Belmont was founded after an 1865 silver strike in the area. By the 1870’s, the population peaked at about 2,000 people, but soon dwindled after the mines shut down. Today, a couple of businesses remain, along with old wooden structures and the Belmont Courthouse, which sports graffiti that may have been left by Manson. The courthouse is closed, but tours are offered from May through September through Friends of the Belmont Courthouse, belmontcourthouse.org. For more on Belmont visit TravelNevada.ca and type “Belmont” into the search field.
Unionville (Northeast of Reno)
American author Mark Twain once prospected in this town off Interstate 80 in Pershing County. Founded in 1861, Unionville experienced a major mining boom from 1863 to 1870, and once served as the seat of Humboldt County. In its heyday, it was home to about 1,500 people. You have don’t have to be a history buff to feel the past 150 years etched in the weathered wooden structures, including Twain’s old cabin. For an overnight, consider the Old Pioneer Garden B&B Guest Ranch, one of the town’s few remaining businesses. For more info visit TravelNevada.ca and type “Unionville” into the search field.
Visiting these ghost towns could make you a ghost town aficionado, in which case you can locate more Nevada ghost towns to explore at TravelNevada.ca.