El Dorado Canyon
Location: Southern Clark County, "The Needle", Nelson
Directions: At end of SR 165 in Nelson
N 35° 42.587 W 114° 49.605
Location: 1
Visibility: 1
Accessibility: 1
Marker type: Stone
Date Conquered: 3/15/09
Quick Description: A marker remembering a unique and significant mining district.
Signed: Yes -- Although this marker was moved to its new location along SR 165, there is still signage located on both lanes of US 95! NDOT placed an arrow pointing the way to SR 165 and the new marker's location.
Marker History: The photo below is the former location of [6] El Dorado Canyon -- the intersection of US 95 and SR 165. Sometime around 1999, NDOT was forced to remove the marker after learning this intersection was queued for construction. [6] faced certain doom until the kind residents of Nelson moved the marker themselves after hearing about the road construction. (Ironically, no road work was ever done. Is this surprising?) Many residents hated to see the destruction of the marker that represented their home in El Dorado Canyon. As such, Nelsonites made a group effort to re-face the marker, sanding it out and painstakingly re-etched and re-painted the lettering as it appears today. A landscaper recently came in and finished off the marker's base with desert foliage and red landscape stone. Many kudos go to these kind residents who took the time to protect this fine piece of Nevada history. Well done!
Before... The former location of [6]. I think I hear crickets chirping.
After... I think we'd all agree, the new home of [6] is much better!
Full Description:
Exact description as reads...
Notice all that's missing from #6 is a permanent base.
Toward the Colorado River from this point runs El Dorado Canyon, where occurred one of the biggest mining booms in Nevada history. Gold and silver were discovered here about 1859 and soon mines were developed. In the 1860's, the canyon was bursting with a rowdy population of nearly 500 men, many of these said to be deserters from the Civil War.
The river was navigable at the time, making it possible to bring in food and supplies by boat.
Notorious for its feuds and shootings, the canyon was equally well known for its three largest mines, the Techatticup, Wall Street and Savage which yielded five million dollars during 40 years of operations.
I love the added touch with the barrel cactus.
Added Info:
Although SR 165 technically ends at the marker, a county paved road continues into El Dorado Canyon for 6 miles, ending at a very scenic overlook above the Colorado River. Along the way, check out the original Techatticup Mine, one of the larger producing mines in this district. The mine offers daily tours during the summer. At the road's end, a private company offers daily boat tours of the river, making for a nice day spent around Nelson.
Thanks go to Gary Bodell (NDOT) for providing correct information on this Historical Marker.
