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TYBO
(NYE COUNTY)
Original discoveries were made in the Hot Creek range in 1866. One of the discovery sites was named Tybo, derived from the Shoshone meaning "white man's district." Another discovery was made nine miles south of Tybo, and the Milk Springs Mining District was organized in February 1867. Then, the Bismark and Fisher mines were worked for a short time before being abandoned. The first major ore discovery in Tybo was made in 1870 by Dr. Galley and M.V. Gillett. The discovery was later developed into the Two-G mine.
It was not until 1874 that a small camp began to form in Tybo Canyon. The first settler in the Canyon had been John Centers, who moved to the canyon in August 1866. A small lead smelter was built in the canyon in 1874, and in the next year, the Tybo Consolidated Mining Company formed. The company built another smelter and a 20-stamp mill before the end of 1875. The mill was the old Highland mill from Pioche. Tybo Consolidated controlled three major mines near the camp: the Casket, Lafayette, and the original Two-G. The Two-G was the deepest of the three, having been dug to a depth of 450' before closing in 1883. During 1875, T.J. Bell began running a twice a week stage to Eureka. A Wells Fargo office was established in the growing camp. Businesses in town included the Trowbridge Store, Rosenthal Store, Barney McCann's Restaurant, and the W.F. Mills and Company Bank. Trowbridge was the biggest businessman i n Tybo. In fact, in 1879, the owners of the Two-G mine became so indebted to him, that he became the principal owner.
By the summer of 1876, the small town had boomed to a population of almost 1,000. The town had been divided, because of constant racial problems, into three separate sections: Irish, Central European, and Cornish. Buildings in the town in 1876 included five stores, a number of saloons, two blacksmith shops, and a post office (Charles Barrett, postmaster), which opened on September 3, 1874. The Tybo Sun, under the management of a Mr. Ragsdale, began publication on May 19, 1877. Ragsdale sold the paper in early 1878 to William Taylor, who operated it for a short time and then sold out to William Love and D.M. Brannan. They continued to publish the weekly until declining interest forced the paper to fold on March 14, 1880. Tybo was basically a company town of the Tybo Consolidated company. The company had a great reputation with its workers. In fact, in February 1877, the employees presented the company's superintendent, Matt Howell, with a gold watch as a token of their appreciation. Activity continued to increase during 1877. A new brick schoolhouse was completed in April, a jail in the spring, Bell's stage was increased to three times a week, the Tybo Brass Band was formed, and an IOOF chapter organized. By 1877, businesses included the William Tell Saloon (J. Morasci), Pioneer Market (Stonebarger and Frakes), Court Saloon (John Wheatly), Exchange Saloon (Gilmore Brothers), Tybo Bakery (J. Gil ma n), Tybo Brewery and Saloon (Valentine Lechner), N.J. Devine Blacksmith Shop, Erie Lodging House (Mrs. S. Hawes), Rosenthal Store, Delmonico Restaurant (Catherine Williams), Tybo Drug Store (J.S. Hammond), Palace Saloon (Kind and Everett), Peoples Saloon (John Peoples), Pacific Hotel (F.O. Swensson), W.H. Clark General Merchandise, Luse's Restaurant, 2-G Boardinghouse (R.N. Oliver), Tybo Restaurant (James McFadden), City Drugstore (Garrett and Joslyn), and Headquarters Saloon (Ferguson and Reilly). The Tybo Literary Society was active from 1876 to 1881. One of its members, Mary Godat, later became the first female legislator from Wyoming.
In May, Henry Allen was contracted to build 15 kilns up in the canyon. It took more than 500,000 bricks to complete construction. These replaced the stone kilns that had been built in 1874. However, in September, the Tybo company drastically cut back its operation and many people left the town during the winter. However, early in 1878, new discoveries in the old mines nece ssitated hiring a bigger work force. More than $100,000 was produced in February 1878, alone. The hotspot on the weekends at Tybo was Spence and Brougher's Coal Burners Saloon. \par \tab A big blow, but a financial boost, came to Tybo in 1879, when the Tybo Consolidated Mining Company decided to close its two smelters, which employed 400, and built a crushing and roasting mill. The mill had a daily capacity of 80 tons but did not employ nearly as many men. This caused a drop in population, but nevertheless, in 1880, three hotels, two restaurants, an express office, and an assay office were built. From 1877 to 1880, Tybo was the top producer of Nye County and was second only to Eureka in total lead production for the entire state.
The Tybo Consolidated Mining Company ran into problems in early 1881, when the quality of the ore dropped drastically. The mill closed down and the company worked just the mines. But soon, in November, the company was forced to fold. The company's equipment was sold and moved to Bristol (Lincoln County). By the end of 1881, only 100 people were left in Tybo Canyon, and the outlook for the future looked bleak. During the next 25 years, Tybo barely managed to cling to life. A number of different mining enterprises attempted to profitably work the Tybo district, but all quickly failed. In the 1880s and 1890s, most of the activity in Tybo was limited to small groups of residents working some of the 100 claims made during the town's boom. A major fire struck the half empty town in July 1884. Thirty -two buildings were destroyed at a loss of $33,500. During that year, the mines only produced $13,000. During the 1880s and 1890s, the mill was still used sporadically. In 1887, the Nye Mining Company gained control of the mines and hired a work force of 35. The company was owned by N.S. Trowbridge and Joseph English, both long-time residents and businessmen in Tybo. However, success was limited and the company folded in May 1889. In 1890, the Diminick and Ma Alta mines were reopened and the mill restarted, but all work was stopped in January 1891, when the company couldn't pay its workers. By 1894, there were only 16 registered voters left in the town. The post office remained open through all of this and continued to serve the dwindling populace until Jul y 14, 1906.
The town's perseverance was rewarded for a while in 1906 when the Nevada Smelting and Mines Corporation began work in May 1906, with a capital of $5 million. Max Berrheimer was president. The company took over the old Tybo Consolidated Mining Company's holdings and began new operations. Profits were extremely low, and the company left the district in 1908. The town was almost completely abandoned. There were only four residents by 1911.
Tybo was given another lease on life when the Louisiana Consolidated Mining Company began to work a few of the mines in 1916. The company, incorporated in May 1912, with Julius Sieghart as president, owned property in Tybo and also in Reveille and in the Oreota district (Mineral County). The company obtained a 20-year operating agreement on the Tybo mine and the nearby Diminick mine. Soon, a fleet of 10 trucks was hauling the ore to mills in Tonopah. Water was a problem and the company was pumping 600,000 gallons a day. More than 40 men were employed. A 100-ton concentration mill, built in 1917, operated until late 1918. At the end of 1919, a flotation plant and a lead smelter were installed. These operated until 1921. The company brought electricity, telegraph and telephone service to the town in March 1920, via a line strung from Millers, at a cost of $100,000. By July 1920, the company had a work force of 80. The company faltered in 1921, and by 1922, flow of ore from the mines had stopped. The company left the district in 1922 to work its other properties. So on, Tybo was emptied again, with only rows of deserted, decaying buildings acknowledging that people had ever been here. In December 1924, the Manhattan-Tybo Power Company discontinued service to Tybo.
The last revival at Tybo started in 1926 when the Key stone-Hot Creek Mining Company purchased property in Tybo Canyon. The company leased this property to the Treadwell-Yukon Company, Ltd., which built a 350-ton concentration mill and a new smelter in 1929. The mill was soon processing more than 300 tons of lead ore daily. Another company, the Tybo Dominion Mines, Inc., also became active in the district, purchasing the Old Dominion and the Jumping Jacks claim groups. The company was incorporated in 1928 with Irving Farrington as president. Operations never really got off the ground, however, and the company quietly folded in 1929.
The Treadwell-Yukon Company became the core of the Tybo revival. More than 75 people came back to Tybo during 1929, and the post office (Willard Hales, postmaster) reopened on February 11. Treadwell-Yukon built a number of two-story boardinghouses for th e miners and brought in some prefabricated houses for the executives. By the end of 1929, 180 men were on the payroll and Tybo's population had grown to 228 by 1930. During the next eight years, the mill processed more than 500,000 tons of lead ore. The company sank a 1,500' shaft during those eight years. While it was being dug, some small silver deposits were discovered. The revival ended in 1937 when the company closed the mill, which was dismantled shortly after and all equipment was purchased by the United States Machinery Company. From 1929 to 1937, $6.8 million was produced. From 1942 to 1945, 18 men were employed hauling old tailings to Tonopah for treatment, and was the las t production from the Tybo district. Total production for the Tybo district is an amazing $9.8 million - amazing because Tybo's best years of production were when lead and silver prices were extremely low. If the ore had been mined today, the value would ha ve come close to tripling.
Even today, Tybo is not a complete ghost. A handful of people still make their home in the peaceful, beautiful canyon. Tybo is one of the better ghost towns in Nye County. There are extensive mine and mill ruins scattered throug hout the canyon. Many buildings remain, most still in very good condition. Among the better remains is the old Trowbridge store, changed from a store to a miners recreation hall during the last revival. The cemetery is on a small hill at the mouth of the canyon and should not be missed. The Tybo charcoal kilns, further up Tybo Canyon, and difficult to reach, are well worth the tough drive. Tybo, on the whole, is one of the top ghost towns in Nye County.