I absolutely loved visiting this old ghost town just south of Nelson, Nevada. It’s located near the site of the old Techatticup Mine in the heart of El Dorado Canyon. Gold and Silver were discovered in El Dorado Canyon in 1859 and a huge population influx soon followed. It grew to be a rough and sinister town and was named for Charles Nelson, a mining director who was killed in his home. Because of its proximity to the Colorado River, it was relatively easy to get people and supplies in and out when compared to other mine locations. The mines in the area were active until 1945, producing several million dollars worth of minerals. Today, the town is privately owned and open to visitors during daylight hours. It’s clearly staged for photography but that didn’t make me love it any less. It seems as though a lot of weddings are held on the property as well. I hope you enjoy these photos from the colorful ghost town of Nelson, Nevada deep in the heart of El Dorado Canyon.
How can you not go visit a place with the motto “The Town That Refused to Die”? Ione has been on my list for quite some time and I’m glad I finally got there. It adds a little extra to the long detour to Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park which is just minutes up the road. Ione was founded after a silver strike in the area in 1863. Ione took it’s name from a California mining town and would be named the county seat of the newly created Nye County in 1864. The town’s population would peak at about 600 people, but many would leave when a strike was made in nearby Belmont. Belmont would become the county seat in 1867. Ione would have another small boom in 1897 when a new stamp mill was built and again in 1912 when cinnabar (an ore refined into elemental mercury) was discovered in the area. When that played out in the 1930s, the town’s population would dip to around 40. The post office closed in 1959 and yet the town persisted. There isn’t much to Ione these days - a boarded up saloon and a few old stores and mining era buildings. But there are some newer houses around as well and a population of 41 people who must really like to get away from it all. This is an end-of-the-road town, but one worth wandering through if you’re ever in the area. I hope you enjoy these photos from Ione, Nevada - The Town That Refused to Die.
Berlin was established as a mining town in 1897 by German prospectors who named the town after the city in their native homeland. It had a small decade-long boom cycle but declined quickly after the Panic of 1907. By 1911 Berlin was virtually a ghost town and would begin to deteriorate. The land was acquired by the State of Nevada in 1970 to become part of Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park. Since it was acquired, volunteers have stabilized the buildings and replaced the roofs and now it sits in a state of “arrested decay”. There are some great old buildings to see in Berlin, especially the massive stamp mill. I hope you enjoy these photos from the tiny old goldmining ghost town of Berlin, Nevada - definitely a cool place to see.
Virginia City, Nevada is one of the coolest Old West mining towns left in the country, and rightfully so as it was once the site of the biggest bonanza in the country’s history. Ten years after the California gold rush brought tens of thousands of people west to find their fortunes, Henry Comstock discovered gold at what would later be called Gold Canyon. The Comstock Lode would bring 25,000 people into the desolate Nevada hills and Virginia City would come to be known at “The Richest Place on Earth”. Because of the tremendous wealth in the area, huge hurdles would be overcome as the town grew, including piping in water from the nearby Sierra Nevada mountains and building a railroad up the steep grade to bring supplies in and out of town. Beautiful churches, mansions, schools and a gorgeous county courthouse were built, along with dozens of saloons, gambling halls and brothels. As a nod to the latter, you’ll notice that the statue of Justice on the courthouse isn’t blind, but instead holds a constant watch over the town. In total, over $400 million dollars worth of gold and silver came out of these hills, equivalent to several billion in today’s money. These riches would filter out of the hills and be responsible for the founding of Reno and for turning San Francisco into the beautiful city it is today. It also helped fund the Union cause during the Civil War, hastening the push for Nevada’s statehood. Nevada’s “Battle Born” motto and designation as the Silver State are both a direct result of the wealth of Virginia City. When the minerals played out, the population dwindled and major fires burned down a lot of what Virginia City once was. Today, nostalgia for the past brings in plenty of tourism and it’s well worth a visit. I hope you enjoy these photos from colorful, historic Virginia City, Nevada a town where the Old West lives on.
Originally home to the Northern Paiute people, the first non-native person to come through the valley was probably Peter Ogden of the Hudson’s Bay Company, who arrived in 1828. Settlers came to the valley in 1863 and after trouble with the Paiute, Fort Winfield Scott was built for protection. Perhaps because of that, the town that grew up there was originally named Scottsdale and helped supply the area’s mines. It was renamed Paradise City in 1869 and Paradise Valley much later.. The catholic church in town is a reminder of the area’s Italian and Basque heritage. In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) had a camp in town (which is still there today). They were responsible for building the Hinkey Summit/Canyon Creek Road as well as several stone bridges and buildings in the area. Agriculture is the main economic driver in the region these days. Paradise Valley is perhaps best known as the hometown of actress Edna Purviance who appeared in almost 30 films with Charlie Chaplin.
While I came to photograph the cool, old buildings in town, there are some beautiful new homes around as well. The two churches were beautiful and well kept and the saloon looks like it gets quite lively at times. It seems like it would be a wonderful place to live if you wanted to get away from it all. Today, Paradise Valley is home to just over a hundred people. It’s not really close to anything, but if you ever get the chance, stop by and have a wander. You’ll be glad you did. I hope you enjoy these photos from Paradise Valley, Nevada - Humboldt County’s not quite ghost town.
