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Historical Markers of Esmeralda County (10)


"Gold! Gold rivers in fame and fortune!

In 1900, the name "Esmeralda" was born! Yes as it outlined above, "Esmeralda" headlined newspapers nationwide. Gold, fortune, and new beginnings in the middle of nowhere brought fortune seekers from every corner of the nation to a little town named Goldfield. Before I continue, I must state that the following story is not just another repetitious tale of boom and bust. The tale that is Esmeralda County proved that "gold fever" was incurable and some claim, still incurable today. History does not deny the lasting legacy of this unassuming piece of Nevada ground, when in fact, much is left to be told.

A moonless night, and a lowly prospector sits atop his claim. His day is like any other. He takes a drink and goes back to his work -- an uneventful night, on some uneventful soil, in an uneventful time in his life. He wipes his brow and then he digs. He digs some more, his musty fingers uncover stones, agates, jasper, and rhyolite. Although the stones are beautiful in color, they are still nothing more than stones, rocks that mock his parade. He tosses them aside, listening to his insight, his intuition, everything else exists but his precious gold! Still he tries and the stars roll away by dawn's early light. Then, he sees it, illuminated by the warm glow of sunrise. He wipes his eyes. Maybe he's drowsy? Or maybe he's rich.

The brief story you just read was a product of my imagination, but was very similar to the founding at Goldfield. Few people traveling the long pavement of US 95 even bother to fathom how Goldfield, now a tiny town with a year-round population of about six hundred, was once Nevada's largest and most properous city! In Goldfield's heyday, over twenty thousand people called this place home. At the turn of the century, a tough economy loomed over the nation and Nevada was destined for bankruptcy. Even talk of relinquishing Nevada's statehood became commonfare and some say if it wasn't for Goldfield, the state of Nevada would have died a century ago. Others say the tales are hogwash, nothing more than a romantic fairy tale; some people say that Goldfield is nothing more than a town with "too many pipe dreams." Essy's residents know better.


"The Little Town That Is," Goldfield, NV.

Grandpa to Goldfield
The rich gold veins that lie beneath the streets of Goldfield carried Nevada over into the 1930's. Originally named "Grandpa" for "the grandfather of all mining camps", Goldfield can easily be called one of Nevada's last true mining camps; "Grandpa" had enough wealth to shadow every district statewide, even equalling or surpassing districts around the world. Grandpa wanted to show off its great fortune by furnishing its courthouse with twentieth-century Tiffany lamps, all of which are still there today. Some say, Goldfield had so much gold, miners could "throw it at the birds." Truly, no expense was spared on behalf of Goldfield's prosperity. The Goldfield Hotel, once the largest hotel west of the Mississippi River, so illustrious and clean, would have put the MGM Grand to shame. At one time, the Hotel checked in more than a thousand people a day. If that weren't enough, low grade ore was used to pave the streets today's residents regularly use. By 1901, the first automobiles hummed down Crook Street. Most interesting of all, boxing, thought to be a brutal and debatable sport in those days, found Goldfield as a new venue. Boxing promoters such as "Tex" Rickard put Goldfield on the map by hosting the largest (at the time) championship boxing match in history. The Gans Nelson Fight, which took place on the corner of Crook and Columbia Streets, brought in over twenty thousand spectators. An entire city block to was cordoned off to make room for the match. Yes boys and girls, Goldfield was a place where spectators, gamblers, ladies of the night, and other entrepreneurs looked to for one last chance to strike it rich. Goldfield was well on its way.

The hype of Goldfield's boom did not lie in the persistence of its miners. Unlike Virginia City, Goldfield was not run by "kings," or mining corporations. Goldfield was unique in that everybody had their own stake in the wealth. Average families, shop owners, boxing promoters, hotel workers, or whoever you were had at least some stock in Goldfield's ore. The ore, brought up out of the ground by picks and shovels, was assayed at more than $3,000 per ton, an overwhelming sum that while was prized quality, lacked in quantity. And hence, Goldfield's dent in its otherwise sharp and shiny future was too noticeable to ignore. Assayers and mine superintendants gravely miscalculated the ore's location, concluding that prized rock was just too far from the surface to be viable in profit. Unlike Virginia City, Goldfield didn't have thousands of miners to rake the earth. A solitary pick axe and shovel were not enough to penetrate the earth for more of the shiny rock. By 1910, Goldfield was a shadow of its former self. Unlike many camps, however, the population of Goldfield did not up and run. Most people stayed behind, and the population dwindled slowly over time. Like many of Nevada's mining camps, Goldfield was reluctant to settle for defeat. Today, Goldfield lives on sheer pride alone; the town hangs on, sitting proudly under the desert sun as a testament to old fortunes with a never-say-die attitude. Today, Goldfield is but a mere shadow of the great town it once was, living day to day with history as a forever companion and a forever role model. Almost every Goldfield resident knows full well of the value beneath their town and many mining companies have tried to purchase Goldfield outright. The locals know better. Sometimes wealth isn't everything. Everybody knows the old cliche: Home is where you hang your hat.


If you think there's nothing here ... Think again!

The Markers
Wedged against the California State Line between Tonopah and Bishop, lightly populated Esmeralda County ("Essy"), is a testament to Nevada's never-say-die attitude. Here, pride is alive and well. As you might expect, driving through lonely Essy County is something of the wonderful for any desert rat. For other people, Essy might mean a race to the finish line. The land of Esmeralda is vast and lonely in all its triteness and visitors to the land should see its low number of services as a respite from the normalcies of today. This seclusion is perhaps the reward for all who choose to explore Essy's grounds.

Although Goldfield is still the nucleus of Esmeralda, visitors should not ignore the more "private" old girls among the desert sun. Towns such as Silver Peak and Gold Point smear the impression of stubbornness and willingness to survive. The spirit of Esmeralda simple doesn't say die. The county's charm is in its past; with a total population of less than one thousand residents, Essy hates to grow anymore -- according to one Goldfield man... "It's grown too much already."      As for Goldfield herself, the old queen needs not offer much in the way of services. Her residents are a dependable sort, independent and simplistic on the pavement of US 95. Goldfield has little else than a locally-owned motel and a general store with one gas pump. People who live in Goldfield know that if they want more "action", they make the twenty-minute drive to "the city." The twenty-minute drive will take to "the city" in question -- Tonopah, Central Nevada's hub of activity. Although technically residing within Nye County, Tonopah regularly caters to the residents of Essy for food and services with two large casinos and their standard motel and restaurant. Tonopah also hosts a handful of other services like local motels, a Scolaris grocery store, an auto repair, Nye County hospital, and a few fast food joints. Depending on your preference, Goldfield or Tonopah will make excellent base jumps, providing you fill up every time you leave town. Trust me folks... discovering the incredible loneliness and stark beauty of Essy for yourself, is a reward that shouldn't be missed. Fortunately, conquering Essy's markers allow you the maximum experience; all of her markers are not only greatly spaced apart, but they can all be attained within a day's drive. However, to get from "here and there" takes a long time. You might want to spend a few days to seek out some of Essy's old towns off the pavement, or maybe discover your own secret niche before moving on to the next. Spend a few hours at "the Sump" and wrap your brain around landscapes that are so desolate and grotesque, they are breathtakingly beautiful. Most of Essy's markers tell of Nevada's repetition of boom and bust, the finding of gold and silver in rather obscure mining camps. Do as I did and imagine pasting yourself to this landscape in search of something that may or may not be there. Look up and gaze at the thousands of stars in Nevada's open and uninterrupted skies. Who knows -- you might just find something the locals don't know. Then again, don't count on it.

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Copyright © Paul Sebesta