Historical Markers of Esmeralda County
Location: Southern Esmeralda County Directions: At the junction of SR 266 and 774, 7 miles west of US 95
Date Conquered: 7/16/08 Quick Description: A marker remembering the short-lived boom and revival of Gold Point. Signed: Yes -- Signed on both lanes of SR 266. Full Description: Exact description as reads ... Gold Point was initially called Lime Point for the nearby lime deposits found in 1868. Processing difficulties in the 1880's discouraged silver mining locally. Goldfield ore discoveries in 1902 stimulated area mining interest and high-grade hornsilver was discovered here in 1908. The name was changed to Hornsilver, and typically mining camp development occurred. A newspaper, post office, stores and saloons began operations, and a town of over 225 wood frame buildings, tents and shacks appeared. The camp assumed the name Gold Point after 1930 when more gold was being mined than silver. Miners were drawn away to essential World War II industries in October 1942, and major mining efforts ceased at Gold Point. Useful fact #156: Don't get stuck out here! In the middle of nowhere and loving it! DID YOU KNOW?... ...Esmeralda County is the point of convergence for the Mojave and Great Basin deserts? Look to the horizons when traveling through this county. If you see yuccas or Joshuas spanning, you are seeing the edge of the Great Basin. The image above could in fact be purely Mojave Desert. Why? Nearby Death Valley Nat'l Park is made up both deserts, depending on what part of the park you are visiting. Spanning the horizon line are stands of Joshua Trees, a Mojave Desert-only species. If you look across the highway, stands of pinyon pine line the hillsides of the Palmetto Range, strictly within the Great Basin. If I've lost you, then good! Nature has her sense of humor with this area!
Full Description: Exact description as reads ... Gold Point was initially called Lime Point for the nearby lime deposits found in 1868. Processing difficulties in the 1880's discouraged silver mining locally. Goldfield ore discoveries in 1902 stimulated area mining interest and high-grade hornsilver was discovered here in 1908. The name was changed to Hornsilver, and typically mining camp development occurred. A newspaper, post office, stores and saloons began operations, and a town of over 225 wood frame buildings, tents and shacks appeared. The camp assumed the name Gold Point after 1930 when more gold was being mined than silver. Miners were drawn away to essential World War II industries in October 1942, and major mining efforts ceased at Gold Point. Useful fact #156: Don't get stuck out here! In the middle of nowhere and loving it! DID YOU KNOW?... ...Esmeralda County is the point of convergence for the Mojave and Great Basin deserts? Look to the horizons when traveling through this county. If you see yuccas or Joshuas spanning, you are seeing the edge of the Great Basin. The image above could in fact be purely Mojave Desert. Why? Nearby Death Valley Nat'l Park is made up both deserts, depending on what part of the park you are visiting. Spanning the horizon line are stands of Joshua Trees, a Mojave Desert-only species. If you look across the highway, stands of pinyon pine line the hillsides of the Palmetto Range, strictly within the Great Basin. If I've lost you, then good! Nature has her sense of humor with this area!
Gold Point was initially called Lime Point for the nearby lime deposits found in 1868. Processing difficulties in the 1880's discouraged silver mining locally. Goldfield ore discoveries in 1902 stimulated area mining interest and high-grade hornsilver was discovered here in 1908. The name was changed to Hornsilver, and typically mining camp development occurred. A newspaper, post office, stores and saloons began operations, and a town of over 225 wood frame buildings, tents and shacks appeared. The camp assumed the name Gold Point after 1930 when more gold was being mined than silver. Miners were drawn away to essential World War II industries in October 1942, and major mining efforts ceased at Gold Point. Useful fact #156: Don't get stuck out here! In the middle of nowhere and loving it! DID YOU KNOW?... ...Esmeralda County is the point of convergence for the Mojave and Great Basin deserts? Look to the horizons when traveling through this county. If you see yuccas or Joshuas spanning, you are seeing the edge of the Great Basin. The image above could in fact be purely Mojave Desert. Why? Nearby Death Valley Nat'l Park is made up both deserts, depending on what part of the park you are visiting. Spanning the horizon line are stands of Joshua Trees, a Mojave Desert-only species. If you look across the highway, stands of pinyon pine line the hillsides of the Palmetto Range, strictly within the Great Basin. If I've lost you, then good! Nature has her sense of humor with this area!
Goldfield ore discoveries in 1902 stimulated area mining interest and high-grade hornsilver was discovered here in 1908. The name was changed to Hornsilver, and typically mining camp development occurred. A newspaper, post office, stores and saloons began operations, and a town of over 225 wood frame buildings, tents and shacks appeared. The camp assumed the name Gold Point after 1930 when more gold was being mined than silver. Miners were drawn away to essential World War II industries in October 1942, and major mining efforts ceased at Gold Point. Useful fact #156: Don't get stuck out here! In the middle of nowhere and loving it! DID YOU KNOW?... ...Esmeralda County is the point of convergence for the Mojave and Great Basin deserts? Look to the horizons when traveling through this county. If you see yuccas or Joshuas spanning, you are seeing the edge of the Great Basin. The image above could in fact be purely Mojave Desert. Why? Nearby Death Valley Nat'l Park is made up both deserts, depending on what part of the park you are visiting. Spanning the horizon line are stands of Joshua Trees, a Mojave Desert-only species. If you look across the highway, stands of pinyon pine line the hillsides of the Palmetto Range, strictly within the Great Basin. If I've lost you, then good! Nature has her sense of humor with this area!
The camp assumed the name Gold Point after 1930 when more gold was being mined than silver. Miners were drawn away to essential World War II industries in October 1942, and major mining efforts ceased at Gold Point. Useful fact #156: Don't get stuck out here! In the middle of nowhere and loving it! DID YOU KNOW?... ...Esmeralda County is the point of convergence for the Mojave and Great Basin deserts? Look to the horizons when traveling through this county. If you see yuccas or Joshuas spanning, you are seeing the edge of the Great Basin. The image above could in fact be purely Mojave Desert. Why? Nearby Death Valley Nat'l Park is made up both deserts, depending on what part of the park you are visiting. Spanning the horizon line are stands of Joshua Trees, a Mojave Desert-only species. If you look across the highway, stands of pinyon pine line the hillsides of the Palmetto Range, strictly within the Great Basin. If I've lost you, then good! Nature has her sense of humor with this area!
DID YOU KNOW?... ...Esmeralda County is the point of convergence for the Mojave and Great Basin deserts? Look to the horizons when traveling through this county. If you see yuccas or Joshuas spanning, you are seeing the edge of the Great Basin. The image above could in fact be purely Mojave Desert. Why? Nearby Death Valley Nat'l Park is made up both deserts, depending on what part of the park you are visiting. Spanning the horizon line are stands of Joshua Trees, a Mojave Desert-only species. If you look across the highway, stands of pinyon pine line the hillsides of the Palmetto Range, strictly within the Great Basin. If I've lost you, then good! Nature has her sense of humor with this area!
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