Category: Ghost Towns

Ghost towns in the Western United States are abandoned settlements, often remnants of 19th-century mining, ranching, or railroad booms. Once thriving with prospectors, merchants, and families, these towns, like Bodie, California, or Virginia City, Montana, were deserted when resources depleted or economic shifts occurred, particularly after the 1860s gold and silver rushes. Characterized by dilapidated buildings, saloons, and mine shafts, they dot deserts and mountains, preserved by arid climates. Today, they attract tourists and historians, offering haunting glimpses into the West’s frontier past, shaped by ambition and transience.

Panamint City California – Inyo County Ghost Town

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Panamint City is one of the most legendary ghost towns in the Panamint Range of Death Valley National Park, California. Perched high in Surprise Canyon at an elevation of around 6,000–6,500 feet (about 1,800–2,000 m), it was once a notorious silver boomtown known for its lawlessness, rapid rise, and swift decline. Today, the site lies in a remote, rugged wilderness area within the park (though some remnants are on private inholdings or patented claims).

Panamint City California - 1875
Panamint City California – 1875

Historical Background and Founding (1872–1873)

The story of Panamint City begins in late 1872 amid the chaotic aftermath of earlier California gold and silver rushes. Prospectors William L. Kennedy, Robert Polk Stewart, and Richard C. Jacobs (some accounts name them as William Ledlie Kennedy et al.) were searching for the fabled Lost Gunsight Mine (a legendary lost gold deposit tied to early Death Valley lore) when they stumbled upon rich silver outcrops in Surprise Canyon. The canyon’s isolation had long made it a favorite hideout for outlaws evading law enforcement after stagecoach robberies and other crimes.

When the prospectors returned to stake formal claims, a gang of six bandits (who had followed them) forced a partnership to share in the profits—despite the outlaws being wanted for crimes like robbing a Wells Fargo stage of $12,000. This unlikely alliance marked the birth of the Panamint Mining District, officially formed in February 1873. Ore samples sent to Los Angeles attracted attention, and word spread quickly.

Senator John Percival Jones
Senator John Percival Jones

Boom Period (1873–1875)

The real boom ignited when Nevada’s “Silver Senators”—John P. Jones and William M. Stewart (prominent Comstock Lode investors)—learned of the discoveries. They organized the Panamint Mining Company with $2 million in capital stock and bought up major claims, injecting serious investment. By late 1874, Panamint City exploded into a full-fledged town:

  • Population peaked at around 1,500–2,000 residents, including miners, merchants, saloonkeepers, prostitutes, gamblers, and outlaws.
  • The main street stretched nearly one mile up the narrow canyon, lined with wooden buildings: hotels, restaurants, stores, assay offices, two banks, a post office, and the Panamint News newspaper.
  • Saloons and a red-light district thrived, contributing to the town’s reputation as one of the “toughest, rawest, most hard-boiled little hellholes” in the West.
  • Lawlessness was rampant—reports claim over 50 murders in the first few years, with shootouts, claim-jumping, and vigilante justice common. Wells Fargo refused to operate a stage line due to the banditry; instead, bullion was cast into heavy 400-pound cubes to deter theft during transport.
  • Key mines included the Wyoming Mine, Wonder Mine, and others producing high-grade silver ore (some assays showed values in the thousands of dollars per ton), along with copper and lesser gold.

The town even inspired ambitious infrastructure plans, such as Senator Jones’ short-lived railroad project from Santa Monica (which never fully materialized beyond initial segments).

William M. Stewart. Photo by Matthew Brady
William M. Stewart. Photo by Matthew Brady

Decline and Abandonment (1875–1877)

The bust came as quickly as the boom. By late 1875, the richest surface and near-surface ore bodies in the major mines began depleting rapidly. Veins pinched out or became too low-grade to process profitably with 1870s technology. Investors pulled out, and production plummeted.

A catastrophic flash flood in 1876 roared down Surprise Canyon, washing away much of the lower town, destroying buildings, roads, and equipment. This disaster accelerated the exodus. By 1877, major operations shut down entirely, and Panamint City was largely abandoned. Scavengers and a few holdouts lingered briefly, but the population evaporated within months.

Later History and Remnants

The site is protected; visitors must hike and plan trips carefully (flash flood risk remains high). Sporadic small-scale prospecting occurred in the early 20th century, but nothing revived the town. The area saw renewed minor activity during later Panamint Range booms (e.g., gold at nearby Skidoo in 1905–1917), but Panamint City itself remained a ghost town.

In the mid-20th century, some structures were salvaged or burned; flash floods continued to erode the site.

Today, within Death Valley National Park (established 1994, expanded to include the Panamint Range), remnants include:

  • Foundation stones and walls of former buildings.
  • Mine adits, shafts, and tailings piles.
  • The old smelter stack base and scattered artifacts.
Panamint City Stamp Mill
Panamint City Stamp Mill

Panamint City exemplifies the classic Western mining boom-bust cycle: fueled by rich silver discoveries, hyped by big investors, plagued by lawlessness and isolation, and doomed by ore depletion and natural disaster. Its brief, violent heyday left an enduring legend in Death Valley lore—one of outlaws turning prospectors, senators chasing silver, and a canyon that swallowed a town almost as fast as it rose.

Panamint Town Summary

NamePanamint
LocationInyo County
Latitude, Longitude36.1182827, -117.0953327
GNIS1661185
Elevation6,300 Feet
NewspaperPanamint News ( 1874-1875 )

Panamint Map

References

Chloride City California – Inyo County Ghost Town

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Chloride City is a remote ghost town and historic mining site located in the Funeral Mountains on the eastern side of Death Valley National Park, Inyo County, California. Situated at an elevation of approximately 4,770 feet (1,454 m) in a saddle high above the valley floor, it offers dramatic panoramic views across Death Valley to the Panamint Mountains—over 5,000 feet below—making it one of the more scenic yet challenging historic locations in the park. Access requires a high-clearance vehicle (often 4WD) via rough dirt roads, such as Chloride City Road off Daylight Pass Road or near Hell’s Gate, and the site remains largely untouched, with scattered remnants rather than intact structures.

Crowells Mill under construction in Chloride City, CA about 1915
Crowells Mill under construction in Chloride City, CA about 1915

Early Discovery and Initial Mining (1870s)

The area’s mining history dates back to one of the earliest documented strikes in the Death Valley region. In August 1871, prospector August J. Franklin (a civil engineer involved in U.S. government surveying work on the Nevada-California border) made the initial discovery. According to local legend, Franklin killed a rattlesnake with a rock, noticed rich-looking float (loose ore fragments) beneath it, and traced the material uphill to its source—a vein of silver chloride (a form of silver ore) at what became known as Chloride Cliff.

Franklin staked claims and formed the Chloride Cliff Mining Company, sinking a shaft to about 70 feet by mid-1873 and employing several miners. Ore samples reportedly assayed at high values—between $200 and $1,000 per ton in silver—indicating significant potential. However, the remote location, harsh desert conditions, lack of water, and transportation difficulties limited development. Activity was intermittent; Franklin and later his son George worked claims sporadically to maintain ownership, but the site saw little sustained production through the 1870s and remained largely deserted from around 1873 until the early 1900s.

Boom Period and Establishment of Chloride City (1905–1906)

Interest revived in the early 20th century amid the broader Death Valley mining boom, particularly following the major gold discovery at Bullfrog, Nevada (near Rhyolite) in 1904 and the development of the nearby Keane Wonder Mine (discovered in late 1903). Prospectors from Bullfrog crossed into the Funeral Mountains, reworking older claims and exploring new ones.

By 1905, enough activity centered on the Chloride Cliff area (including renewed work on silver-lead and emerging gold veins) that a small support camp was laid out: Chloride City. It served as a hub for nearby operations, featuring basic facilities such as an assay office, bunkhouse, and possibly other rudimentary structures. The town was positioned in a picturesque but wind-swept saddle, supporting miners extracting ore from adits (horizontal tunnels) and shafts in the vicinity.

Despite initial promise, the boom was short-lived. Most operations proved uneconomical due to low-grade ore, high processing costs, and isolation. Chloride City became a ghost town by late 1906, abandoned as miners moved to more promising strikes elsewhere.

Later Activity and Nearby Mines (1910s–1940s)

Sporadic mining returned in the 1910s and especially the 1930s, when higher gold prices during the Great Depression spurred renewed prospecting. Nearby sites like the Big Bell Mine (and Big Bell Extension) saw more substantial work, including construction of an aerial tramway, ore bins, ball mills, cyanide tanks, and other equipment—much of which remains remarkably preserved due to the site’s inaccessibility. These operations focused on gold and silver, with some claims reportedly changing hands through dramatic means (e.g., gambling, disputes, or even a reported duel). Activity largely ceased by the early 1940s, with the last major shutdown around 1941.

Chloride City itself did not revive as a town; it remained a loose collection of mining features rather than a populated settlement.

Current Status and Remnants

Today, Chloride City is within Death Valley National Park and protected as part of its historic resources. Little of the actual “town” survives—mostly scattered foundations, mine dumps, numerous adits (some explorable with caution), ore remnants, and the remains of three stamp mills. A single grave marks the site: that of James McKay, about whom virtually nothing is known.

The area includes dramatic overlooks at Chloride Cliff, where visitors can stand on old dumps and gaze down into Death Valley. Nearby hikes lead to well-preserved ruins like those of the Big Bell Mine complex, featuring rusting machinery, collapsed shacks, and tramway elements frozen in time.

The site exemplifies the fleeting nature of desert mining booms: early promise, rapid influx, quick bust, and long-term abandonment. Its isolation has helped preserve artifacts, offering a glimpse into the grit of 19th- and early 20th-century prospectors in one of Earth’s harshest environments. Visitors should prepare for rough roads, extreme conditions, and practice Leave No Trace principles, as the area has no facilities or signage in many spots.

Chloride City Trail Map

Rochester Nevada – Pershing County Ghost Town

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Rochester, Nevada, is a historic ghost town and former mining camp located in Rochester Canyon within the southern Humboldt Range in Pershing County, Nevada. Situated roughly 10-15 miles southeast of Interstate 80 (near the Oreana exit) and about 110 miles east of Reno, it lies in a narrow, steep canyon that once supported a booming silver and gold mining community.

Upper Rochester, Nevada 1918
Upper Rochester, Nevada 1918

Early Discovery and Initial Development (1860s–Early 1900s)

The Rochester district was first discovered in the early 1860s by prospectors from Rochester, New York, who found gold and silver deposits in the canyon. They named the area after their hometown. Small-scale mining occurred during this period, including work at sites like the Relief Mine in the southern part of the range. However, these early efforts yielded limited success, and the district remained relatively insignificant for decades, with only sporadic activity through the 1870s and into the early 20th century.

In 1905, Charles E. Stevens located claims on Nenzel Hill at the head of Rochester Canyon. These claims later passed to Joseph F. Nenzel.

Lower Rochester, Nevada 1913
Lower Rochester, Nevada 1913

The Boom Period (1912–1920s)

The true transformation came in 1912, when Joseph Nenzel shipped a small lot of float ore that assayed surprisingly high values. This led to the discovery of rich silver-bearing veins, sparking a major boom. Word spread quickly, and by 1913, the canyon’s population swelled to around 2,000 people.

The town developed in sections due to the steep terrain:

  • Upper Rochester (also called Old Town or Rochester Heights) sat higher up the canyon.
  • Lower Rochester was laid out on November 20, 1912, lower in the canyon and became the main hub, hosting the original post office.

Additional settlements included East Rochester and areas like Packard.

Two major companies drove operations:

  • The Rochester Mines Co. built an all-slime cyanidation mill starting at 100 tons per day (later expanded to 160 tons).
  • The Nevada-Packard Mines Co. constructed a 120-ton mill. In 1917, the Rochester Combined Mines Co. erected a $300,000 mill at Packard, though it operated briefly before shutting down (equipment later moved to Candelaria in 1922).

The district produced valuable silver, gold, copper, and lead, with estimates of total output ranging from $6 million to $10 million (primarily silver) during the main boom years from 1912 to 1928. Peak activity occurred in the mid-1910s, with the Rochester Mines Co. as a principal producer (facing but avoiding major apex litigation through compromise and consolidation into the Rochester Silver Corporation in 1920).

Moving a tent of Rochester, Nevada 1913
Moving a tent of Rochester, Nevada 1913

Decline and Ghost Town Status

Operations declined sharply in the late 1920s. The Rochester Silver Corporation ceased major work by 1929, and equipment was sold. Limited activity continued into the 1930s (e.g., the Buck and Charley Mine under the Rochester Plymouth Mines Co. in 1936), but the town faded as ore values dropped and the boom ended.

By the mid-20th century, Rochester had become a ghost town, with scattered ruins, mill foundations, and remnants stretching over two miles through the canyon.

Role in Pershing County History

Rochester played a significant role in the mining heritage of Pershing County, one of Nevada’s key mining regions. Pershing County—formed on March 18, 1919 (the newest county in Nevada, carved from Humboldt County and named after General John J. Pershing of World War I fame)—has long relied on mining and ranching. The area was part of early westward expansion routes like the Humboldt Trail.

Rochester’s 1912–1920s boom stood out as one of north-central Nevada’s most successful mining camps during a period when many districts struggled. Its production contributed to the region’s economy and highlighted Pershing County’s silver and gold potential in the Humboldt Range.

While the historic Rochester town is abandoned, modern mining revived in the district. The Coeur Rochester Mine (an open-pit heap-leach silver-gold operation) began in 1986, paused from 2007–2010, and resumed in 2011. It remains the largest employer in Pershing County today, building on the legacy of the early 20th-century discoveries.

Rochester exemplifies Nevada’s classic boom-and-bust mining cycle: modest beginnings, a dramatic silver rush, rapid growth, and eventual decline—leaving behind a poignant ghost town that attracts historians, explorers, and off-road enthusiasts.

Rochester Nevada Trail Map

Futher Reading

Borax, Nevada – Clark County Ghost Town

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Seal of Clark County Nevada
Seal of Clark County Nevada

Borax, Nevada, is a ghost town and former railroad siding in Clark County, in the southern part of the state along the Union Pacific Railroad east of Interstate 15. It was settled in 1905 and explicitly named for borax (sodium borate) deposits discovered in the surrounding desert region. At its small peak around 1940, the settlement had a population of about 10 residents. Today, it has a recorded population of zero, with no remaining buildings—existing only as a functional railroad siding (elevation approximately 2,707 feet). While Borax itself left a minimal physical legacy, its name and location tie directly into Nevada’s broader and historically significant borax mining industry, which played a foundational role in the development of the U.S. borax trade in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

This report provides context on Nevada’s borax mining history, as the town of Borax cannot be fully understood in isolation from the mineral that inspired its name and the industry that shaped the state’s desert economy.

Early Discoveries and the Birth of Nevada’s Borax Industry (1870s)

Nevada’s involvement with borax began in earnest in 1872 when Francis Marion “Borax” Smith (often called the “Borax King”) discovered high-quality borate deposits at Teel’s Marsh in Mineral County, western Nevada. Smith, originally from Wisconsin, had been supplying firewood to a small borax operation at nearby Columbus Marsh when he spotted the potential at Teel’s Marsh from a distance. He and his partners staked claims, and operations commenced under names such as Smith and Storey Brothers Borax Co. (later Teels Marsh Borax Co.). This discovery is widely credited with launching the commercial borax rush in the American West and forming the roots of what became the Pacific Coast Borax Company.

The Teel’s Marsh area quickly spurred the growth of Marietta, a mining camp established around 1877. Unlike typical Nevada silver or gold boomtowns, Marietta thrived on borax and salt extraction from the evaporated alkali flat of Teel’s Marsh. By the late 1870s and early 1880s, it featured a post office, newspaper, company store (operated in part by Borax Smith and his brother), and over 150 residents. Workers scraped borax and salt from the marsh surface under harsh desert conditions. Salt was particularly valuable for processing silver and gold ore elsewhere in the state (e.g., Virginia City and Bodie). However, the isolated location made the town vulnerable—stagecoaches were robbed frequently, including multiple times in a single day in 1880.

The stone ruins visible today at Marietta (including remnants of Borax Smith’s company store) stand as quiet reminders of this short-lived boom.

Nearby Columbus (established 1865 as a silver milling center) also became a borax hub in the early 1870s. Four companies, including the prominent Pacific Borax Company (which built facilities about five miles south of town in September 1872), extracted borax from the Columbus Salt Marsh. At its height in the mid-1870s, Columbus supported several hundred residents with stores, an adobe school, post office, iron foundry, and its own newspaper, the Borax Miner. Borax production briefly revitalized the declining silver town before larger deposits elsewhere shifted focus.

Expansion, Competition, and Shift to California (1880s–1890s)

Borax Smith consolidated operations and, by 1890, had acquired rival holdings (including those of William T. Coleman) to form the Pacific Coast Borax Company. Nevada’s early borax works supplied domestic needs and helped pioneer refining techniques. However, richer and more accessible colemanite (a borate ore) deposits were discovered in Death Valley, California, beginning in 1881 (e.g., the Harmony Borax Works). These California sites, famously served by the iconic 20-mule teams hauling borax 165 miles across the Mojave Desert, proved more economically viable. Nevada operations at Teel’s Marsh, Columbus, and similar sites (including Rhodes Marsh and Fish Lake Valley) largely declined or closed by the 1890s as production shifted southward.

20th-Century Activity and the Settlement of Borax (1900s–1940s)

Borax prospecting continued into the 20th century, particularly in southern Nevada’s Clark County. Significant colemanite deposits were identified in areas such as White Basin and Callville Wash (near present-day Lake Mead). A major find—the Anniversary Mine—was located in 1921 by prospectors F.M. Lovell and George Hartman and later operated by companies including the West End Chemical Company until around 1928.

The town of Borax itself was established in 1905, directly tied to these regional borax deposits. Its location along the railroad made it a logical siding for potential shipping or support activities related to mining. While never a large settlement, it persisted modestly into the mid-20th century before being fully abandoned. No major long-term mining infrastructure developed at the exact site of Borax, and by the 1940s it was already fading. Today it serves only as a minor railroad marker with ZIP code 89026.

Decline and Legacy

By the early 1900s, Nevada’s borax industry had largely been eclipsed by massive California operations (such as the eventual U.S. Borax mine at Boron, CA). Improved rail transport, cheaper extraction methods, and richer ore bodies in Death Valley and elsewhere ended most Nevada borax production. The state’s early contributions, however, were pivotal: Smith’s 1872 discovery at Teel’s Marsh helped establish the domestic borax market and the Pacific Coast Borax Company, which evolved into a global leader (now part of U.S. Borax / Rio Tinto).

The ghost towns and ruins—such as Marietta’s stone walls and Columbus’s abandoned works—along with place names like Borax, Nevada, preserve this chapter of Western mining history. Borax mining brought infrastructure, labor, and economic activity to Nevada’s remote deserts but also exemplified the boom-and-bust cycle typical of mineral extraction in the American West.

Stone’s Ferry, Nevada

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Seal of Clark County Nevada
Seal of Clark County Nevada

Stone’s Ferry was a former settlement and Colorado River ferry crossing in Clark County, Nevada, established by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church, or Mormons). It served as a vital transportation link between Nevada and Arizona. The site shifted locations over time: initially near the mouth of the Virgin River, then approximately 6 miles downstream, and later 2 miles below the Virgin River mouth opposite Detrital Wash (its primary GNIS-recorded position from an 1875 survey at coordinates approximately 36°7′42″N 114°26′51″W). It lay opposite Detrital Valley, which offered an accessible route south from the Colorado River canyon into Arizona mining districts and north through the Virgin and Muddy Valleys toward Nevada and Utah. The ferry operated as both a commercial crossing and a barge landing in a remote desert-river environment.

Early History/Founding

The crossing originated informally in the late 1860s as Mormon colonists in the Muddy and Virgin River valleys (part of Pah-Ute County, Arizona Territory at the time) used boats left at the Virgin River mouth to cross the Colorado River. This connected their settlements to wagon roads leading south to Arizona mines (such as Chloride, Mineral Park, and Cerbat) and the Hardyville-Prescott Road. Brigham Young visited the area in 1870, but in 1870–1871 the colonists voted to abandon the settlements due to boundary disputes (the area was determined to be in Nevada) and high taxes imposed by Nevada authorities.

One colonist, Daniel Bonelli of St. Thomas, voted against abandonment and remained as the sole holdout. He moved his family to the site, acquired an existing ferry boat, and established a commercial ferry service known as Stone’s Ferry around 1871. The name’s origin is unclear; a 1875 Wheeler survey noted two early operators at the site, including James Thompson (who briefly held ferry rights) and possibly a settler named Stone. The ferry began operations about 6 miles downstream from the Virgin River mouth before being relocated upstream to a more favorable point opposite Detrital Wash.

Economic Activities

Stone’s Ferry functioned primarily as a commercial river crossing for passengers, freight, livestock, and emigrants traveling between Nevada and Arizona. It supported regional mining by providing access to Arizona’s silver districts and served as a landing for barges, such as those operated by Captain L. C. Wilburn. These barges transported salt mined from nearby Virgin River valley deposits downstream to the mills at El Dorado Canyon, where it was essential for processing silver ore.

Under Bonelli’s ownership (after he purchased the rights around 1870–1871), the ferry expanded to haul produce, feed, and salt from his St. Thomas farm and salt mines to mining camps like El Dorado, Chloride, and Cerbat. It also facilitated larger movements, including a band of sheep to Arizona in 1875 and a group of 83 Mormon emigrants in 1877. The operation relied on the river’s flow and manual or animal-assisted boat handling, tying directly into the broader network of Mormon agriculture, salt production, and support for southwestern mining booms.

Decline/Abandonment

The ferry’s original site and operations were short-lived in their initial form. In 1876, Daniel Bonelli relocated the ferry and his family upstream near the old settlement of Junction City (just east of the Virgin River mouth) and renamed it Bonelli’s Ferry. This move centralized operations closer to his St. Thomas holdings and improved access. By the early 1900s, competing railroads and improved overland roads reduced river traffic. Bonelli died of a stroke in 1903; a flood destroyed the ferry in 1904 (though his son later rebuilt and operated it into the 1920s). The associated post office at the renamed site (Rioville) closed in 1906 as irrigation water diminished and economic activity shifted away.

The original Stone’s Ferry site ceased independent operations with the relocation, and the entire area saw full abandonment as a settlement by the early 20th century. All river crossings in the region, including this one, were ultimately inundated by the rising waters of Lake Mead following the construction of Hoover Dam in the 1930s.

Legacy/Current Status

Stone’s Ferry exemplifies the pioneering role of Mormon settlers in developing early transportation infrastructure along the Colorado River in the American Southwest. It bridged isolated agricultural colonies with Arizona’s mining economy, supported salt transport for ore processing, and highlighted the challenges of remote river-based commerce before railroads dominated. The site transitioned into Bonelli’s Ferry (later associated with Rioville/Junction City), which operated longer but shared the same fate. Its history underscores themes of Mormon colonization in southern Nevada, boundary shifts between territories, and the eventual transformation of the Colorado River by large-scale dam projects.

Today, the site of Stone’s Ferry lies submerged beneath the Virgin Basin of Lake Mead. No surface remains are accessible, and it is recognized as one of Clark County’s ghost towns due to its complete inundation and abandonment. It joins other nearby historical sites (such as St. Thomas and Rioville) lost to reservoir waters but preserved in historical records and surveys.

Sources/References

  • Wikipedia: Stone’s Ferry, Nevada (drawing on primary historical accounts and surveys).
  • U.S. National Park Service, Lake Mead history documents (detailing operators, Bonelli’s purchase in 1877, uses, and submersion).
  • James H. McClintock, Mormon Settlement in Arizona: A Record of Peaceful Conquest of the Desert (1921).
  • Richard E. Lingenfelter, Steamboats on the Colorado River, 1852–1916 (University of Arizona Press, 1978).
  • Additional context from George M. Wheeler’s 1875 Topographical Atlas and surveys; Legends of America historical summaries on Colorado River crossings.

This report is based on documented historical records of Mormon settlement, river transportation, and mining support in the lower Colorado River region during the late 19th century. Stone’s Ferry illustrates the brief but essential role of such ferries in opening the desert Southwest before modern infrastructure rendered them obsolete.