Category: Destination4x4

Eightmile, Nevada – White Pine County Ghost Town

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Ghost Towns of White Pine County, Nevada
Ghost Towns of White Pine County, Nevada

Eightmile (also known as Eight Mile or Eight Mile Station) is a historic locale and ghost town site in eastern White Pine County, Nevada. It sits at an elevation of approximately 5,541 feet (1,689 m) along Spring Creek, near coordinates 39°58′16″N 114°04′33″W. The site lies on what is now part of the Goshute Indian Reservation.

Unlike the mining boom towns common in White Pine County (such as Shermantown, Aurum, or Hamilton), Eightmile’s primary historical significance stems from its role as a transportation and communication stop rather than mineral extraction.

Founding and Pony Express Era (1860–1861)

Eightmile originated as Eight Mile Station (also called Prairie Gate or Spring Station), one of the key relay stations on the legendary Pony Express route. Established in 1860, it served as a stop where riders could change horses and rest briefly during the high-speed mail delivery between St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California.

The station was strategically located roughly eight miles from a previous stop, fitting the typical 10–15 mile spacing needed for fresh horses. It functioned as part of the Central Overland Route, which later supported stagecoach operations.

Notable Incident (1863): On March 23, 1863, Goshute Indians, led by a chief known as White Horse, attacked and burned the station, killing the station keeper. This event helped spark the Overland (or Goshute) War, a series of conflicts between Native American groups and settlers/companies using the trail.

During the American Civil War and the subsequent Snake War period, the U.S. Army (including troops from nearby Fort Ruby) frequently garrisoned or patrolled the station to protect the vital transportation corridor linking the western territories to the East before the transcontinental railroad’s completion in 1869.

Later Use (1860s–1900s)

After the Pony Express ended in October 1861 (replaced by faster telegraph service and stage lines), Eightmile continued operating as a stagecoach station along the Central Overland Route. It supported mail, passenger, and freight transport across Nevada’s high desert.

In the early 20th century, the area transitioned to ranching. A sheep ranch was established around the 1900s. The Lincoln Highway (one of America’s earliest transcontinental auto routes) also passed through the area on its path from Ibapah, Utah, toward Ely, Nevada.

Decline and Modern Era

By the 1930s, the site had largely faded as a distinct settlement. In 1938, the U.S. Government acquired the land for use by the Goshute people. A nearby ranch known as the Georgetta Ranch has also been associated with the broader Eightmile area.

Today, the location appears primarily as private residences or ranch-related structures on the Goshute Indian Reservation. Remnants of the original Pony Express station are minimal but have been noted by historians and explorers, including foundations or ruins typical of remote overland stations.

Historical Context and Legacy

Eightmile represents the critical infrastructure that supported westward expansion in the mid-19th century. While White Pine County is famous for its silver and copper mining rushes, sites like Eightmile highlight the importance of the Pony Express and Overland Trail in connecting isolated regions and facilitating communication during the Civil War era.

The station’s violent history underscores the tensions between Native American tribes and encroaching transportation networks. Its survival into the automobile age via the Lincoln Highway adds another layer to its transportation heritage.

Sources

This report draws from Nevada historical resources, Pony Express National Historic Trail documentation, and county histories. Eightmile remains a quiet but meaningful waypoint for those tracing Nevada’s overland trails and Native American history in the region.

Quartette, Nevada – Clark County Ghost Town

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Ghost towns of Clark County, Nevada
Ghost towns of Clark County, Nevada

Quartette, Nevada—also known as Quartette Mill or Quartette Landing—was a short-lived mining settlement and steamboat landing on the west bank of the Colorado River in what is now Clark County, Nevada. It served primarily as the site of a stamp mill and cyanide plant operated by the Quartette Mining Company. The location was at coordinates 35°25′53″N 114°39′18″W, with an elevation of approximately 646 feet. It lay roughly 12–16 miles (depending on sources) from the Quartette Mine in the hills near Searchlight, connected by a narrow-gauge railroad. The site functioned as both an industrial milling hub and a river port for ore processing and passenger/steamboat traffic.

Early History/Founding

The settlement originated in 1900 as part of the booming Searchlight Mining District. The Quartette Mining Company, led by Col. C. W. Hopkins of Boston, owned the Quartette Mine (the district’s largest producer) and decided to build its own milling facility rather than continue shipping raw ore 23 miles by wagon to Manvel for rail transport to smelters in Needles, California. Water scarcity at the mine site made riverside milling more practical, so the company constructed a 20-stamp mill and cyanide plant on the Colorado River.

A post office named Quartette opened on September 15, 1900, and operated until September 15, 1902, reflecting the brief but active period of mill and landing development. Initial ore transport was by wagon (about 12 miles), but the company soon planned a dedicated railroad. Grading for the line began in November 1901. Rails, a locomotive, and cars were shipped by barge from Needles but faced delays when they grounded on a sandbar for three months; higher river water finally freed them in February 1902. Additional equipment arrived via rail to Manvel and then wagon to the site. By March 1902, six miles of track were laid, and full operations began in May 1902 with a completed 14–16-mile (sources vary slightly) 36-inch narrow-gauge railroad. The line ran twice daily, hauling ore to the mill and returning with supplies and passengers—especially when steamboats docked at the landing, providing the fastest route to Needles.

Economic Activities

Quartette’s economy centered on gold (with significant copper, silver, and lead) ore processing from the nearby Quartette Mine. The mine, discovered in 1898 with rich ore found by 1899, became the Searchlight district’s dominant producer. The riverside 20-stamp mill and cyanide plant processed the ore efficiently using abundant river water. The narrow-gauge railroad was critical: it transported ore downhill to the mill and supported limited passenger service tied to Colorado River steamboat traffic.

The Quartette Mine alone accounted for roughly 64% of the district’s gold, 58% of its copper, 21% of its silver, and 13% of its lead, with total production exceeding $2.8 million (primarily 1902–1921, plus 1923). Annual output during peak years (1903–1909) ranged from $200,000 to $400,000. Ore was oxidized, featuring minerals like chrysocolla, cuprite, and hematite in quartz veins. The mill site also served as a landing for steamboats, facilitating broader regional transport in an era before reliable rail connections to Searchlight itself.

Decline/Abandonment

Operations at the riverside mill were short-lived. A 1903 labor strike halted district activity, but water was discovered in the Quartette Mine shortly afterward. This allowed construction of a new stamp mill at the mine site itself; the original riverside mill was relocated and enlarged to 40 stamps by around 1906. The railroad became idle as milling shifted uphill. The arrival of the Barnwell and Searchlight Railway in 1907 further diminished the need for river-based transport. Railroad rails were removed in 1910 and repurposed for the Yellow Pine Mining Company’s line from Jean to Goodsprings. The mine itself saw company operations cease in 1911 after deeper explorations failed to locate new ore bodies; a leasing system continued with declining output until around 1921. The 40-stamp mill at the mine burned in 1913.

By the early 1910s, Quartette Landing had lost its purpose. The post office had already closed in 1902, and the settlement was abandoned as river milling proved unnecessary.

Legacy/Current Status

Quartette represents a classic example of early 20th-century Nevada mining ingenuity—adapting to water shortages and transportation challenges in a remote desert-river environment—before larger rail networks and technological shifts rendered such river mills obsolete. It highlights the interconnected role of mining, railroads, and Colorado River steamboat navigation in southern Nevada’s development, during the same era when Searchlight boomed as the district’s main camp. The Quartette Mine’s output was pivotal to the Searchlight district’s early prosperity.

Today, the site of Quartette (the mill and landing) is submerged under Lake Mohave, created by the construction of Davis Dam downstream on the Colorado River in the 1950s. No surface remains are accessible, and it is listed among Clark County’s ghost towns due to its complete abandonment and inundation.

Sources/References

  • U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 906-D: Geology of the Searchlight District, Clark County, Nevada (E. Callaghan, 1939), providing detailed production and operational history.
  • Pacific Narrow Gauge: Quartette Mining Company railroad history.
  • Additional context from Richard E. Lingenfelter, Steamboats on the Colorado River, 1852–1916 (1978); John M. Townley, “Early Development of El Dorado Canyon and Searchlight Mining Districts,” Nevada Historical Society Quarterly (Spring 1968); and David F. Myrick, Railroads of Nevada and Eastern California, Vol. II (1992).

Doble California – San Bernardino Ghost Town

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Doble is a near-forgotten ghost town and mining site located near the dry bed of Baldwin Lake, east of Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains. It represents a later chapter in the region’s mining story, tied to the “second gold rush” of the 1870s.

In 1873–1874, brothers Barney and Charlie Carter discovered gold-bearing quartz on a hill overlooking Baldwin Lake (then part of Bear Valley). Word reached millionaire investor Elias J. “Lucky” Baldwin, a prominent figure from the Comstock Lode silver boom in Nevada. Baldwin acquired the claims, naming the site the Baldwin Mine (later Gold Mountain Mine). He invested heavily, building a 20-stamp mill in 1875 to process ore and surveying a townsite below the mine.

The town was initially called Bairdstown (possibly after an early partner or prospector) and later briefly Gold Mountain City or Bear Valley. By the mid-1870s, it boomed with saloons, hotels, restaurants, blacksmith shops, and residences—typical of Wild West mining camps. Fistfights, shootings, and a growing cemetery reflected the era’s lawlessness. A shelf road built by Chinese laborers improved access, hauling machinery through Holcomb Valley.

Despite the infrastructure, the ore proved low-grade and unprofitable. The mine and mill shut down after a few years, and the town was largely abandoned by the early 1880s. It sat dormant for about 17 years.

In the late 1890s–early 1900s, Baldwin’s son-in-law, Bud Doble (or possibly a relative/associate), reinvested, leading to a revival. A larger 40-stamp mill was constructed around 1900, and the town was renamed Doble. Operations continued intermittently into the early 20th century, with various owners attempting to extract gold. However, yields remained disappointing, and activity ceased by the mid-20th century (latest records around the 1940s).

Today, Doble is a true ghost town with scattered ruins: dilapidated wooden structures, mill foundations, tailings piles, shafts, and a small cemetery. The site is accessible via off-road trails like Holcomb Valley Road (high-clearance vehicles recommended). It’s part of the San Bernardino National Forest, popular for hiking and historical exploration, though vandalism has removed some markers over the years.

Doble Mine, San Bernardino County, 1930 - Photography by Adelbert Bartlett, UCLA Library Digital Collections
Doble Mine, San Bernardino County, 1930 – Photography by Adelbert Bartlett, UCLA Library Digital Collections

Doble Town Summary

NameDoble California
LocationBig Bear, San Bernarino, California
Also Known AsBairdstown, Gold Mountain
Latitude, Longitude34.2986169,-116.8216958
GNIS270883

History of Mining in the San Bernardino Mountains

The San Bernardino Mountains, part of the Transverse Ranges in Southern California, have a rich mining heritage primarily tied to gold, with significant activity in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Mining in this region was challenging due to rugged terrain, harsh winters with heavy snowfall, and limited water resources, yet it produced notable wealth, especially from placer and lode deposits.

Gold mining began in earnest in the 1860s, spurred by discoveries shortly after the California Gold Rush of 1849. The most prolific area was Holcomb Valley, north of modern Big Bear Lake. In May 1860, prospector William F. “Bill” Holcomb, while tracking a bear, discovered placer gold in a creek that now bears his name. This sparked Southern California’s largest gold rush, drawing thousands of miners. Holcomb Valley became the region’s top gold-producing district, yielding an estimated 350,000 troy ounces historically (valued at over $450 million in modern terms based on early 2010s prices), with potential untapped deposits.

A boomtown called Belleville quickly emerged near the discovery site, named after the first child born there. At its peak around 1861–1862, Belleville had a population of about 1,500–2,000, making it briefly the largest settlement in San Bernardino County. It featured saloons, stores, and even vied (unsuccessfully) to become the county seat. The town was notorious for its rough character—claim jumping, violence, and vigilante justice were common. Placer mining dominated initially, with miners panning streams and using sluices. By the late 1860s, as easy placer gold dwindled, operations shifted to hard-rock quartz mining, requiring stamp mills to crush ore.

Other notable mines in the mountains included the Mammoth, Olio, Pine Tree, Metzger, and Greenlead. Production peaked in the 1860s but declined rapidly due to low yields, difficult access, and environmental hardships. By 1870, most miners had left Holcomb Valley. Intermittent activity continued, including large-scale placer operations in the 1890s and dredging in the 1930s–1940s.

A “second gold rush” occurred in the 1870s around Baldwin Lake (then called Bear Valley), leading to the establishment of the town and mine discussed below. Overall, the San Bernardino Mountains’ gold era transitioned the area from mining to tourism and recreation by the early 20th century, with dams and roads built in the 1880s–1910s facilitating access to Big Bear Lake.

Today, remnants like tailings, shafts, and foundations are preserved in areas like Holcomb Valley (now a historic site with trails), but active gold mining has ceased. Modern extraction in the broader mountains focuses on industrial minerals like high-purity limestone and cement.

Doble Town Map

Referenes

Gold Mountain Mine – Gold Fever Trail

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Gold Mountain Mine, also known as the Baldwin Mine or Lucky Baldwin Mine (originally Carters Quartz Hill), stands as one of the most significant gold operations in the Big Bear area of the San Bernardino Mountains. Located east of Big Bear Lake at coordinates approximately 34.3026°N, 116.8291°W, it overlooks Baldwin Lake and the former townsite of Doble. The mine represented the last major gold discovery in the region during the 1870s and highlighted the transition from placer to quartz mining.

The remains of Gold Mountain Mine, "Lucky Baldwin Mine" overlook the townsite of Doble and Baldwin Lake.
The remains of Gold Mountain Mine, “Lucky Baldwin Mine” overlook the townsite of Doble and Baldwin Lake.

Discovery and Early Development (1873-1875)

In 1873, brothers Barney and Charley Carter discovered the site while traveling to the Rose Mine for silver prospecting. Camping along the north shore of Baldwin Lake, Barney investigated a shiny quartz ledge on a hill, revealing rich gold ore. They claimed it as Carters Quartz Hill. This find came amid a broader context where placer gold in nearby streams had been noted since 1855, but harsh conditions limited early efforts. The Carters sold the claim to mining tycoon Elias J. “Lucky” Baldwin for $30,000, who invested an additional $250,000 to develop it. Baldwin, known from the Ophir Mine in Nevada, renamed it and employed up to 180 workers.

Chinese laborers played a key role, constructing roads from the mine to Cactus Flat and a five-mile flume with a 300-foot granite tunnel to supply water for processing. Their expertise in blasting and ditch-building was crucial, reflecting broader involvement of Chinese workers in quartz mining across the mountains. By 1876, a 40-stamp mill was operational, crushing ore for gold extraction via sluicing. The arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in Bear Valley boosted local prosperity, including the town of Belleville.

Operations and Challenges (1875-1895)

The mine ran for about eight months initially but faced a major setback in 1875 when Baldwin lost $2,500,000 in the Bank of California collapse, triggering a statewide economic downturn. Operations closed temporarily but reopened intermittently until 1895. Production figures are not precisely documented, but the site contributed to the region’s status as Southern California’s most productive gold district. In 1875, William F. Holcomb, whose 1860 discovery sparked the initial rush, returned to witness the decline of mining camps.

The Gold Mountain Mine
The Gold Mountain Mine

Later Years and Decline (1899-1940s)

In 1899, after resource depletion, J.R. DeLaMar partnered with Baldwin to build a second 40-stamp mill. The original mill operated until 1923, with hard-rock mining continuing until 1919. Various companies managed the site until the 1940s, but yields were disappointing overall. The mine’s concrete foundations and headframe remnants are still visible today.

Current Status and Legacy

Today, the dormant site lies within the San Bernardino National Forest, accessible mainly for hiking and part of the Gold Fever Off-Road Trail. It symbolizes the end of the major gold era in the mountains, with ongoing hobbyist mining in the broader area. The mine’s history underscores the economic volatility of 19th-century mining and the contributions of diverse laborers.

This report highlights how Gold Mountain Mine fits into the larger narrative of San Bernardino Mountains mining, which transformed the region from a frontier outpost to a key resource hub, leaving a lasting cultural and environmental legacy.

Overview of Mining in the San Bernardino Mountains

The San Bernardino Mountains, located in Southern California, have a storied mining history that dates back to the mid-19th century, driven primarily by gold discoveries amid the broader California Gold Rush era. This range, part of the larger Mojave Desert geophysical province, features rugged terrain with fault lines, basins, and arid conditions that influenced mining operations. Mining in the area encompassed a variety of commodities, including gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, tungsten, borates, and limestone, with gold being the most widespread and economically significant. San Bernardino County, which includes these mountains, hosts over 3,000 documented mines, with approximately 1,585 listing gold as the primary commodity. The history reflects cycles of booms and busts tied to economic events, technological advancements, and global demands, such as those during World Wars I and II.

Early placer mining began in the 1840s and 1850s, with gold strikes in streams and valleys like Bear and Holcomb Valleys as early as 1849-1855, often initiated by prospectors following the California Gold Rush. The shift to hard-rock lode mining occurred as placer deposits depleted, supported by laws like the 1872 General Mining Act. Key districts included Holcomb Valley, Clark, Providence Mountains, and Calico, with operations involving shafts, adits, mills, and infrastructure like railroads and water systems. By 1902, the county had 301 hard-rock quartz mines, producing 45 mineral commodities. The Great Depression revived small-scale gold mining due to higher gold prices, while World War II focused on strategic minerals like tungsten and iron. Post-war activity declined, though sites like the Mountain Pass rare earth mine emerged in the 1950s. Today, remnants such as mine ruins, tailings, and historical landmarks persist, managed by entities like the Bureau of Land Management, facing threats from modern development and recreation.

The mountains are particularly noted for skarn gold deposits and high-purity placer gold, with historical recoveries in Holcomb Valley estimated at around 350,000 troy ounces (valued at $457,660,000 in 2013 prices). Remaining deposits may hold up to 700,000 troy ounces in unmined areas. Limestone mining continues as a major modern resource, with operators like Omya and Mitsubishi Cement extracting from the north slope.

Timeline of Key Mining Events in the San Bernardino Mountains

PeriodKey Events and Developments
1840s-1850sInitial placer gold discoveries in Bear and Holcomb Valleys (1849-1855); Mexican miners extract significant gold from placers in Bear Valley.
1860sMajor gold rush sparked by William F. Holcomb’s discovery in Holcomb Valley (1860); boomtowns like Belleville emerge with populations up to 1,500; largest gold strike in Southern California.
1870s-1880sShift to quartz mining; Gold Mountain Mine discovered (1873); stamp mills built; economic downturns like the 1875 Bank of California collapse affect operations; gold deposits largely exhausted by 1880s.
1890s-1910sIntermittent revivals with new technologies like cyanidation; hard-rock mining at Gold Mountain continues until 1919; borate and tungsten discoveries; steady activity until World War I.
1920s-1940sDecline due to low prices; Depression-era reworking of tailings; WWII focus on iron and tungsten; sporadic operations.
1950s-PresentRare earth mining at Mountain Pass; limestone extraction; hobbyist claims and historical preservation; over 2,000 active claims in Holcomb Valley.

Mine Summary

NameGold Mountain Mine
Also known asLucky Baldwin Mine,
Carters Quartz Hill
LocationSan Bernardino County, California
Latitude, Longitude34.3026, -116.8291
Gold Fever Off Road Trail Marker No.12

Gold Mountain Trail Map

Greenwater Valley Road

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The hottest place on earth, Death Valley National Park is on the order with California and Nevada
The hottest place on earth, Death Valley National Park is on the order with California and Nevada

The Furnace Creek Wash Road, also commonly known as Greenwater Valley Road on official National Park Service maps, is a remote, unpaved backcountry route winding through the stark eastern fringes of Death Valley National Park in California. This high-clearance dirt road stretches approximately 36 miles from its northern junction with the Dante’s View Road (near the turnoff to Twenty Mule Team Canyon) southward through the broad, gravelly expanse of Greenwater Valley, eventually connecting to the Jubilee Pass Road near the park’s southern boundary. Along its path, it traces the dry bed and alluvial fans of Furnace Creek Wash—a vast, ephemeral drainage that channels rare flash floods from the Black Mountains and Greenwater Range into the heart of Death Valley. The landscape is one of desolate beauty: endless creosote bush plains dotted with greasewood, flanked by barren, basalt-capped hills and distant volcanic ridges, interrupted only by severe washboarding that rattles vehicles and occasional side spurs leading to forgotten mining relics. In rare superbloom years following ample winter rains, the valley explodes in carpets of wildflowers—desert gold, phacelia, and evening primrose—transforming the arid wash into a fleeting riot of color.

The road’s origins trace back to the early 20th-century mining booms that briefly ignited this remote corner of Death Valley. In the mid-1900s, particularly around 1905–1908, a copper rush swept through the Greenwater area, spurred by discoveries in the Furnace Creek mining district. Promoters hyped the region as the “greatest copper camp” in the West, drawing hundreds of prospectors and speculators. The short-lived town of Greenwater sprang up, along with satellite sites like Furnace (a townsite reachable via a side road off the route, where remnants of adits and camps linger) and nearby Kunze. Primitive wagon tracks and trails were blazed across the valley to haul supplies, equipment, and ore, following natural washes like Furnace Creek Wash for easier passage through the rugged terrain. These early routes supported the frenzy, connecting mines to supply points and distant railheads, though most operations folded by 1909 as the copper veins proved uneconomical.

Unlike the borax-driven paths around Furnace Creek itself (such as those tied to the famous 20-mule teams from Harmony Borax Works), this eastern wash road was founded primarily for copper mining access and exploration. It provided a vital link through the Greenwater Valley, allowing prospectors to reach claims in the Black Mountains and transport goods amid the boom’s speculative fever. No grand toll road or railroad extension materialized here, unlike in other parts of the valley, but the tracks laid the foundation for later routes.

In the 1930s, after Death Valley was designated a National Monument in 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) played a key role in formalizing many park roads, grading hundreds of miles to improve access for visitors and administration. While major paved arteries like State Route 190 received priority, backcountry routes like the Furnace Creek Wash Road were likely upgraded or maintained during this era to preserve mining history and enable scenic exploration.

Today, the road serves recreational purposes: a quiet alternative for high-clearance vehicles seeking solitude, dispersed camping, and glimpses into Death Valley’s ghostly mining past. It remains prone to washouts from monsoons and requires caution—flash floods can render sections impassable, and the washboard surface demands slow speeds. Yet, traversing it evokes the valley’s enduring allure: a path born of fleeting human ambition, now reclaimed by the vast, unforgiving desert.

Directions

From the North End (near Furnace Creek area, accessing via Dante’s View Road):

  • From CA-190 near Furnace Creek (e.g., just east of the park entrance fee station or Zabriskie Point vicinity), turn south onto the paved Dante’s View Road.
  • Drive approximately 7.5 miles up Dante’s View Road (passing turnoffs for the viewpoint itself).
  • At a paved pullout opposite the main Dante’s View parking area, turn south (left if coming from Furnace Creek) onto the unsigned gravel Greenwater Valley/Furnace Creek Wash Road (GPS approx: 36.2686° N, -116.6638° W).
  • The road heads southeast across open plains, with washboard starting immediately.

From the South End (near Shoshone/Death Valley Junction):

  • From CA-127 (just north of Shoshone or south of Death Valley Junction), turn west onto Jubilee Pass Road (signed for Ashford Mill or Badwater).
  • Drive about 5.8 miles west over Jubilee Pass (paved, then gravel).
  • Turn north (right) onto the gravel Greenwater Valley/Furnace Creek Wash Road at the junction (approx. elevation 2,101 ft).
  • The road heads north, initially smoother in this section, following washes and valleys toward the Dante’s View area.