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Historical Markers of Nye County
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Should it surprise anybody that Nye County is shaped like a mushroom cloud, or a miner's pick axe? Perhaps sheer consequence played a role when Nevada carved this giant piece of ground, consequence that these two 'ingredients' would have such an extensive role in Nye County. Yet despite its size, Nye is a gentle and somber giant. Being the largest county doesn't necessarily mean it has to be the most outspoken. Nye is usually left behind the curtains, a large and gentle giant that keeps to itself. Nye is a county well-forgotten by most Nevadans and in the typical ways of rural Nevada, Nye residents believe that's how it should stay.
Not only is Nye Nevada's largest county, it is also one of Nevada's oldest. Nye County, created in 1864, was named in honor of James W. Nye, who served as governor of the Nevada Territory. The search for precious metals - the concept of easily attainable fortune - really brought interest to conquering to unexplored central Nevada. Fortune seekers eventually found their way to the Monitor Range. It was there at the foot of the mountains, that gold was discovered! Men staked claims immediately and the town of Ione was built. Ione put Nye County on the map, becoming the county's seat in 1864 after gold was found at the foot of the Monitor Range; the seat was moved to Belmont in 1867 when new strikes were found further south in the Toquima Range. Belmont sat high on the power chair, until "a new hope" was discovered thirty years later.
Tonopah: The Silver Queen
Who says an ass can't find treasure? Jim Butler's find proves that statement! Although nobody knows the exact truth as to how Butler found his lode, the popular belief that Jim Butler's ass (mule) kicked over the rock that contained 84% silver. Men weren't complaining; Nevada's downward economic plunge was felt statewide when the calendars marked the turn of the century. Jim Butler's fabulous find promised "a new hope" for Nevada and once again, the hopes of men were restored. Prospectors and the regular entrepreneurs took hold of the opportunity and set up tents, quickly followed by buildings. One year later, the town of Tonopah was a booming full-fledged city. In 1905, the town of Tonopah snatched the seat from Belmont, and rightfully so. Some argue that Tonopah was the last great strike in Nevada and the last great hope of prospectors everywhere. Unlike many towns, Tonopah didn't try to keep their find a secret; Tonopah wanted to grow; Tonopah wanted prosperity. Apparently fate had the same idea because 130 years later, Tonopah proudly retains its spot as the seat of Nye County; Tonopah is still the power-house and commands the final word of the county's 18,159 square miles of ground. This is impressive, but there is one issue, a clashing of old and new school.
"Old Meets New. Boy hates girl?"
Spend a few days driving around Nye County, wandering about its remote mountain ranges and long valleys with smatterings of populations; you'll quickly wonder why the county has a population of 46,000 people! Although Tonopah is the seat of Nye County, it only has a population of 2,600. The entire Big Smoky Valley has less than 2,000 people; Beatty's year-round population is only 1,400, while the county's tiny outposts such as Lockes, Belmont, Manhattan and Ione, Berlin, Gabbs, Duckwater and Sunnyside have a combined population of no more than 1,000! So, where is all this population coming from? The answer is Pahrump, the largest community some 180 miles south of Tonopah. Nye locals dub Pahrump as an oddball, a blundering bedroom community to sprawling Las Vegas. As one Tonopah man put it: "They ain't part of us." The man was referring to Pahrump's close relations to Las Vegas and its big city lore, compared to Tonopah and Nye County's old-fashioned ways. Many 'Tonopahns' believe Pahrump should be removed from the county altogether. From time to time - or depending on who you talk to - people talk about moving the county seat south to Pahrump; then, there is talk about splitting off the southern portion of the county to Clark, "where it belongs". Neither of these ideas have sufficient support at the county or state government levels. Here in Nye County, the butting of heads concerning rural Nevada and urban Nevada seems to common place, an undetermined battle between old country gal (Tonopah) VS. prissy city boy (Pahrump). (If you need to ask which side I favor, maybe you should re-discover this website.)
Except for the growth of Pahrump, Nye County hasn't changed much in the past century and a half. Nye County speaks free about everything and anything it wants; excluding Pahrump, Nye County is brimstone and fire. It is easy to fall in love with Nye's steady-habit lifestyle, old looming history, elusive wildlife and beautiful landscapes. Some of Nevada's most pristine mountains and deserts are found within Nye's borders. Wild mustangs and herds of antelope still run free without the restrait of bridles or an encroaching human population. Over one hundred miles of streams flow down from some of Nevada's highest mountain ranges; ranges like the Toiyabe, Toquima and Monitor Ranges span the central portion of Nye County similar to caterpillars crawling across an open plain. Nye's vast deserts are nothing short of breathtaking. Us true Nevadans have driven what we call, "America's TRUE Loneliest Road": US 6. US 6 spans 160 deliciously remote miles from Tonopah to Ely, the only piece of blacktop across central Nevada. Take a trip on US 6 and re-think about what really matters in life. Time doesn't always have to fly by. Nye's locals never deny where they come from... Why be anywhere else? Even after the dying of the mines over a hundred years ago, old towns like Belmont, Manhattan and Ione hang onto life, still-beating hearts hearts that refuse to die. These old hearts sit tattered and worn but very much alive, surrounded by clean air, restless by forgotten stories and sit raggedly in supreme solitude.
 The REAL, "America's Loneliest Road", US 6.
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The Markers
One thing is certain: you don't realize how huge Nye County is until you ante up and take on its historic markers! Let me attest that you will not conquer this county in one day. My advice would be to conquer Nye County little by little as focus on the other adjacent counties. To enjoy Nye's full potential, allow at least a week to explore its old towns and gorgeous scenery. For a county of this size, it is surprising -and somewhat of a disappointment- that most of Nye's markers are located along a single highway, SR 376 in the Big Smoky Valley. The rest of the markers are widely scattered across the county's 18,000 square miles. Nye County can leave a person wondering where to start, where to go and how to get there. From Tonopah to Beatty, or from Tybo to Ione? Your biggest challenge will be deciding where to go first and how to tackle Nye effectively! For example, I conquered #159 Ione by combining the trip with a few of the Churchill markers, then finished off the trip back to Austin. Otherwise, visiting Ione and capturing this one marker is a long trip from any direction! Two markers reside around Beatty, calling for another long detour from Tonopah. You could combine Esmeralda County and Goldfield with the taking of these two Beatty markers for a nice few days of exploration. Speaking of long detours, #171 in Pahrump is an extreme inconvenience, located well away from the rest of Nye's personality. Rather than making the four hour detour to Pahrump for one marker, I recommend conquering #171 on your way to Las Vegas, or save it for the conquering of Clark County. Otherwise, use Tonopah as your base, working in all directions to tackle most of the markers that reside in the northern portion of the county. Tonopah is by far the largest community in all of central Nevada... period. Tonopah has almost everything a traveler needs including a grocery store, restaurants (including two fast food joints), a hospital, an auto repair, the Sheriff's office and some nice lodging including two large casino/hotels. For those of you who like to sleep under the stars, you've come to right place. Tonopah has officially been titled with having, 'the best stargazing in America'. The stars above Tonopah are breathtaking, whether you see them from inside a tent or country-style in the back of a pickup truck! No more than five miles are all that are needed to get the best views of the sky. Buckle up, head south and let your conscience be your guide. If you're just passing through, please slow down through Tonopah. After all, not only will the Sheriff slam a ticket your way, but you waver your reason for coming down here in the first place. Leave the speeding at home.
Welcome to the real Nevada.
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