Beatty Museum
By Perry Mack
You can hear voices of the past echo ‘…there’s gold in them thar’ hills…’ as the hot wind whispers through the dry branches outside the Beatty Museum in Beatty (pronounced BAY-dee), Nevada. And with good reason, after gold was discovered in 1904, Beatty was the self-proclaimed capital of the Bullfrog Mining District – a bustling, growing town at the edge of Death Valley and surrounded by over 2,000 claims resulting in over 100 gold mines.
Attracted by the promise of fortune and glory, early travelers chose Beatty as a town site for it’s plentiful water supply (as it’s located on top of the Amargosa Underground River). They continued to roll in as the town became the transportation and supply hub during the ‘Bullfrog Gold Rush’ as three railroads and thousands of people converged on the town site.
Today’s traveler is drawn to Beatty for a love of history and a passion for adventure. The Beatty Museum has grown over the years to showcase the unique history of the region and it’s impact on present. Visitor’s can wander among exhibits showcasing relics and antique items from the early days of Beatty and neighbouring Rhyolite – now a ghost town.
And while many other booming communities decayed into today’s ghost towns, Beatty’s 1,000 hardy residents maintain this Gateway to Death Valley, located on the crossroads of Hwy 95 and State Route 374. After visiting the museum, the helpful staff can provide you with information on accessing Death Valley National Park, which provides adventure seekers with off roading, ghost town exploration, camping and geocaching, while the naturalists can immerse themselves in a world of bird watching, hiking, photography, filming and star gazing.
Beatty Museum has free parking for RV's and Beatty prides itself on being a pet friendly town – one more great reason to stop in and visit this treasure of Americana – both past and present.
To help you plan your visit:
Beatty Museum and Historical Society
417 Main Street
Beatty, Nevada 89003
www.beattymuseum.org
775-553-2303