NVGHOSTTOWNS.COM
CHURCHILL COUNTY
GHOST TOWNS
I have not personally visited all the ghost towns on this list. Churchill County will be the subject of a future book of mine but current conditions listed, if not visited by myself, are reports from fellow ghosttowners or other literary sources. For additional information, consult Stanley Paher's Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps.
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BERNICE (Casket)
Silver discovered in 1863 but the town of Casket didn't form until 1882. Renamed Bernice, the camp was active until 1894. Total production of 300K. Foundations and rubble mark the site.
BOLIVIA (Nickel)
Copper discovered in the 1860s. Consistent low level production for many years but the town never grew very large. Mines finally abandoned for good by 1907. Mill ruins and foundations remain.
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CARSON SINK STATION
Served as a station on the Pony Express and later the Overland Stage. Abandoned in 1869. Crumbling ruins remain.
CHALK MOUNTAIN Photos
CLAN ALPINE
Discovered in 1864 and small camp developed until being abandoned in 1868 when ore ran out. After the turn of the century, small ranching settlement of 50 existed. Mill and other rock ruins are left.
COLD SPRINGS (Overland Station) Photos
Station with three different stations over its history serving the Pony Express and Overland Stage. Area abandoned in 1869. Stone walls mark the site of the Overland station while not much marks the sites of the two Pony Express stations.
COPPEREID (White Cloud City)
Discovered in 1869. Small copper camp developed but was abandoned by the early 1870s. Brief revival from 1890 to 1893 and from 1907 to 1912. Rubble and foundations remain.
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DIXIE
Silver discovered in 1907. Within weeks, a camp of 200 had formed but by the end of summer, the boom went bust and the town was abandoned by the beginning of 1908. Small mine dumps remain.
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EASTGATE (Cripple Creek)
Gold discovered in May 1906. By June, more than 300 people were living in the bustling camp. However, none of the mines shipped any ore and the district was abandoned by fall. Nothing remains.
EASTGATE STATION
A stage and freight station established in the early 1870s and featured a small farm. A store still operates at the site but nothing remains from the early days.
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FAIRVIEW
Very rich silver discovered here in 1905. A huge boom developed and the town had a population of almost 2000 in 1907. However the excitement quickly died soon after and by 1908, very few people were left. Revival from 1911 to 1917. A very interesting ghost town to visit.
FRENCHMAN (Bermond)
Served as a station on the Fallon-Fairview-Wonder stage route beginning in 1906. Later had a gas station for many years. Little original remains.
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HAZEN (Pizen Switch)
Hazen came into being when the Western Pacific realigned its tracks in 1902. Later became northern terminus for Nevada & California Railway. At its peak, had a population of 250. Still retains some residents and a few older buildings remain.
HERCULES Photos
Small camp that sprang up in 1906 as a result of the Fairview boom. About 50 came to the camp but it was short-lived and was abandoned by 1908. One large foundation marks the site.
HILL (Grimes)
Long-time station first for the central Emigrant Road during the 1850s and later used by teamsters until the 1900s. Abandoned after the Fairview boom went bust. Foundations remain.
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JESSUP
Discovered in 1902 and by 1903, camp had a population of 300. Small production continued until 1909 when Jessup was abandoned. Wood buildings, foundations, and rubble remain.
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LA PLATA
Discovered in 1862. Town grew quickly and became the county seat in 1864. The White Pine Rush that began in 1867 killed La Plata. The town was quickly abandoned and the county seat moved to Stillwater in 1868. Mill and rock ruins mark the site.
LEETE (Eagle Salt Works)
Excavation of salt deposits began in 1869. Convenience of nearby Central Pacific made shipping costs very cheap. Small workers town of 50 formed. Large production continued into the 1880s and small production ended in 1915. Wide spread foundations and salt mill ruins remain.
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NEVADA CITY
Socialist settlement established in 1916. Reached a peak population of 200 in 1918. In 1919, the promotional company went bankrupt and the town emptied. Cottonwoods, foundations and rubble mark the site.
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RAGTOWN (Leeteville)
Small station first established in 1854 on the Humboldt Overland Trail. A flood in 1862 destroyed all structures and unearthed 200 graves in the cemetery. During the Austin boom beginning in 1863, station re-established and number of farms developed. Arrival of Central Pacific lessened Ragtown's importance. A farming community named Leeteville existed here from 1895 until 1905.
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SALT WELLS (Petersons)
Station on the Fallon-Fairview stage route from 1905 until the early teens. Nothing original remains although a brothel now occupies the site.
SAND SPRINGS
Stop first on the Overland trail during the 1850s, later a Pony Express station. During the 1860s, a large salt operation provided the needed mineral to mills on the Comstock and Austin. Salt mining ceased in 1872 and Sand Springs was abandoned. Used again as a station from 1906 until around 1910. Foundations mark the station site and the walls of a large mill remain.
SHADY RUN
Small mining camp that lived and died in 1908. Nothing remains.
SILVER HILL
One of the earliest camps in the county, having been established in 1860. By 1861, had a population of 200, however, the veins were shallow and had run out by the end of 1862. New discoveries in 1878 led to a revival of the camp until the early 1880s. Little has occured since. Stone foundations remain.
STILLWATER
Station on the Overland Stage route. Slowly, a number of homesteaders made it their home. In December of 1868, became the county seat. Had a peak population of 150 but began to decline in the 1880s. County seat moved to Fallon in 1904. Little remains of the town today.
ST. CLAIR
Station on the central Overland Trail during the 1860s. Never large in size but maintained a post office until 1907.
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TERRILL
Mining camp that sprang to life and died all in 1911. At the end of summer, had a population of 50 but abandoned when winter hit. Wood rubble remains.
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VICTOR
Came into existence in 1907 when ore was discovered by prospectors from Wonder. Soon had a population of 75 but ore was gone by 1908 and so were the people. Stone foundations mark the site.
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WESTGATE Photos
WESTGATE MILL Photos
WHITE PLAINS
Silver discovered in 1864 and 5 stamp mill built but it failed quickly. Salt mining began in 1870 and a small town developed, aided by the completion of the Central Pacific Railroad. Large production continued until the 1890s. Foundations, broken glass, and other rubble mark the site.
WILDCAT STATION
Station on the Overland Stage route from 1862 to 1869. Not much remains.
WONDER Photos
Discovered in 1906 by prospectors from Fairview. A couple hundred people arrived during the first year and the mines were consistent producers until 1919. Little activity afterwards. Collapsed wood buildings, foundations, and mill ruins remain.
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