 (Photo taken on SB US 95 @ MI/ES county line) |
Esmeralda County
There was a time once in little Essy's life, where she was the headline for newspapers nationwide. Gold and fortune, new beginnings in a-middle-of-nowhere town brought fortune seekers from every corner of the nation. Indeed. Gold fever wasn't dead yet. History does not deny Goldfield as once being Nevada's largest and most properous city, a city of over 20,000 in its highest heyday. The city literally sat on top of rich gold veins that went down in excess of a mile beneath the surface, veins that in fact carried Nevada over into the 1930's. At the turn of the century, a tough economy loomed over the nation and Nevada was destined for bankruptcy. Some say if it wasn't for Goldfield, Nevada would've died a long time ago. Others say it's just a fairy tale and Goldfield is nothing more than a town with too many pipe dreams. Essy's residents and locals know better. Goldfield was in fact, one of Nevada's last true mining camps, a mining town that had enough wealth and fortune that its courthouse was adorned with 20th century Tiffany lamps and some say, enough gold to "throw at the birds". The Goldfield Hotel, once the largest hotel west of the Mississippi River, was booming with business! It wasn't unheard of for more than a thousand people a day to check into the hotel. Stock ore from gold deposits were used to pave the streets. Even the first automobiles hummed down Crook Street. Championship prize fights were a regular occurance on a street sided Goldfield where spectators, sports gamblers and other entrepreneurs looked to Goldfield as one last chance to strike it rich. For awhile, it was looking pretty good. Goldfield's ore was valued at more than $3,000/ton, an overwhelming sum that what it had in quality, lacked in quantity. Miscalculations placed Goldfield's ore too far down from the surface to be viable in profit and like many of Nevada's mining camps, Goldfield was reluctant to settle for defeat. To this day, Goldfield still hangs on, loud and proud like a shrine and testament to old fortunes and a never-say-die attitude. Today's Goldfield is but a mere shadow of the great town it once was, living day to day with history as a forever companion and role model.
Wedged against the California State Line in between Tonopah and Bishop, lightly populated Esmeralda County (AKA "Essy"), is a testament to this old way of life that still lingers in pure open and rural Nevada. Other towns such as Silver Peak and Gold Point stand shriveled in the desert sun, still very much alive with a handful of people. As it was a hundred years ago, sometimes in shambles, but mostly in spirit, Essy simply doesn't say die. Goldfield itself, the county's 'largest' community, today resembles more of a drive through a museum rather than the governing body of this remote, desert county. As a result, Essy's charm lies in its figure of the past. With a total population of less than 1,000 residents, Essy doesn't need to grow anymore. In fact, according to one of it's residents... "It's grown too much already."
The Markers
Historical Markers of Esmeralda County (10)
~ The least populated county in Nevada!
~ Historic Goldfield Hotel... once the largest hotel west of the Mississippi
~ Goldfield, the once largest city in Nevada!
As you would expect, driving through lonely Essy County is something of the wonderful for any desert rat like me! For anybody else well, it's a race to the finish line. Essy is truly a desolate landscape, with services very far and few between. It's this seclusion that is a welcomed reward. When conquering Essy's markers, you do have a few choices. Goldfield is just what you'd expect if you don't mind the very basic services. It's a comfortable base, with a locally owned motel, general store and gas pump. For those who want a little more action, Tonopah, Central Nevada's hub of activity, serves as a nice base launch only 20 minutes up the road. Although technically residing within Nye County, Tonopah gladly caters to any of Essy's residents for food and services, including 2 large casinos equipped with a motel and restaurant, a handful of other motels, grocery store, auto repair, hospital and even a McDonald's. Use either of these two towns as a base jump. Just make sure you fill up EVERY TIME you leave to discover the lonely, but abundant hidden treasures Essy has to offer. All of Essy's markers are spaced greatly apart, but all can be attained within a day's drive. Such for a small county, it takes a long time to get from "here to there", as one local put it. Most of Essy's markers tell of Nevada's repitition of boom & bust, the finding of gold and silver in old mining camps that have almost been lost or forgotten by history. As you visit each one, imagine putting yourself, pasting yourself to this landscape in search of something that may or may not be there. Who knows... you might just find something the locals don't know. But don't count on it.
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