Category: Points of Interest

A point of interest is a specific location that attracts visitors due to its cultural, historical, natural, or recreational significance. Typically marked by unique features, it offers an engaging experience, such as scenic views, educational value, or leisure activities. Examples include museums showcasing local heritage, natural landmarks like arches or waterfalls, or historic sites tied to significant events. Often accessible by trails or roads, POIs may provide amenities like visitor centers, guided tours, or interpretive signage, making them ideal for tourists, hikers, or locals seeking exploration and enrichment.

Parran, Nevada – Churchill County Ghost Town

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Churchill County, Nevada
Churchill County, Nevada

Parran, Nevada, is a short-lived ghost town and former railroad station in Churchill County, located in the remote desert landscape near the margins of the Carson Sink (part of the historic Humboldt and Carson Sinks region). Today, it consists of scattered ruins including remnants of an old salt plant, a water tank, and pump station, set against salt-encrusted playas, greasewood, and sand dunes typical of the Great Basin.

Location and Setting

Parran sits approximately 22–32 miles north of Fallon, Nevada, along or near U.S. Highway 95 (with access via a rural section between I-80 west of Lovelock and Highway 50 at Fallon). Its coordinates are roughly 39°48′05″N 118°46′24″W (or 39.8020751° N, 118.773551° W). The area is part of the broader White Plains Flat / Parran Flat region in northwestern Churchill County, characterized by arid conditions, lack of local water sources, and proximity to saline deposits. Nearby historic railroad points included Huxley (to the north) and Ocala (to the northeast), with Parran positioned between Desert and Huxley on the line.

The surrounding environment features playa margins with standing water in the sink at times, distant cottonwoods along the lower Carson River channel, barren dunes of clay and sand, and gravel pits from ancient Lake Lahontan beach deposits. Water for the station had to be imported by tank cars into an underground cistern and pumped to a tank, highlighting the harsh desert challenges.

Establishment and Railroad Context (1902)

Parran originated in 1902 during a major realignment and rebuilding of the railroad line by the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP). The original Central Pacific Railroad (completed across Nevada in the late 1860s as part of the first transcontinental railroad) had been sold to the Southern Pacific in 1899 amid financial difficulties. To improve efficiency, SP rerouted over 200 miles of track between 1902–1903 (and later phases in 1907–1908), shifting from the older Truckee River route across the Forty-Mile Desert to a flatter path following the Carson River south and southwest of the Humboldt Dike. This avoided steep grades like the “White Plains hill,” though it slightly increased distance; the change reduced travel time and operational costs.

New stations and sidings were established along this rerouted line, including at Huxley, Parran, and a section house at Ocala. Parran functioned primarily as a telegraph station and “jerkwater” stop—a minor siding where steam locomotives could quickly refill water tanks from overhead hoses without the crew leaving the cab. It included sidings for passing trains during congestion and supported track maintenance in the dry desert stretch. It was one of several such stops between Lovelock and Wadsworth.

In anticipation of the new rail access, the Kinney Saline Deposits Association constructed a salt works near Parran in 1902 to exploit nearby saline deposits through solar evaporation of brines.

Salt Production and Economic Activity

The primary (and short-lived) industry tied to Parran was salt production. The Kinney works shipped small quantities of salt, mainly to local farmers and ranchers in the region, as well as some to silver mines in earlier decades from broader Churchill County deposits. Production at Parran continued on a limited scale under the International Salt Company, which operated under a lease from the Desert Crystal Salt Company in 1911 and 1912. Annual output was modest—on the order of a few hundred tons at peak for the broader area—and the plant’s valuation remained low (around $1,000 in 1915).

Salt extraction in the vicinity (including sites like White Plains, Sand Springs, and Leete) had roots going back to the 1870s with companies like the Desert Crystal Salt Co., but operations at Parran specifically lasted only about seven to eight years before declining sharply. By 1915–1916, the works were largely idle or abandoned, with minimal tax contributions and no sustained market to support larger-scale shipping despite rail access. No significant mining (metallic) or other industries developed, and the area lacked a newspaper or substantial permanent population.

Post Office and Peak Period (1910–1913)

A post office opened at Parran on January 29, 1910, reflecting modest activity and a small service population (a 1909 request noted it would serve about 30 people in the surrounding area). It operated as a telegraph station as well. The post office closed on July 31, 1913, marking the effective end of Parran’s brief formalized community phase.

Decline and Abandonment

Parran’s decline stemmed from the short lifespan of the salt works, limited economic diversification, and the railroad’s emphasis on larger hubs like Wadsworth. The broader Carson Sink region saw some impetus from nearby projects (such as the Newlands Reclamation Project and Fallon’s agricultural development), but Parran remained a minor stop with no reliable local water and harsh conditions. By the mid-1910s, salt production had largely ceased, and the site transitioned into abandonment. It never grew beyond a functional railroad and industrial outpost.

Today

Parran is classified as a ghost town. Visible remnants include ruins of the old salt plant, the water tank, and pump station infrastructure. The site is remote and accessible via dirt roads or tracks off US 95 north of Fallon, though visitors should exercise caution in the desert terrain. It offers a glimpse into early 20th-century railroad engineering, resource extraction in the Great Basin, and the challenges of sustaining settlements in water-scarce environments. Nearby, other Churchill County ghost towns and historic sites (such as those tied to the Pony Express era farther east or the original Central Pacific alignments) provide broader context for Nevada’s transportation and mining history.

Parran exemplifies the boom-and-bust pattern of many small Nevada railroad-dependent outposts—born from infrastructure improvements and resource hopes in the early 1900s, but quickly fading when those hopes did not materialize into lasting development. Its story is intertwined with the evolution of the Southern Pacific line and the modest salt industry of the Carson Sink region.

Borax, Nevada – Clark County Ghost Town

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

Lages Station, Nevada – White Pine County Ghost Town

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

Lages Station (also known as Lage’s Junction or Lages Junction) is a small ghost town and roadside settlement in White Pine County, eastern Nevada. It is located at the important highway junction of U.S. Route 93 and U.S. Route 93 Alternate in Steptoe Valley, approximately 62 miles north of Ely and about 78 miles south of Wells.

The site sits at an elevation of 5,981 feet (1,823 m) in a remote, high-desert environment typical of the Great Basin, flanked by the Schell Creek Range to the east and the Egan Range to the west. It is marked on USGS topographic maps as the namesake for its own 7.5-minute quadrangle.

Unlike many White Pine County settlements tied to 19th-century mining rushes (such as Shermantown or Aurum), Lages Station developed primarily as a 20th-century transportation and service stop.

Early History and Naming

The exact origins of the name “Lages” (often pronounced “La-g-eez”) remain somewhat unclear but likely derive from an early settler, rancher, or station operator in the area. The location served travelers along historic routes through the Steptoe Valley long before formal highway development.

The broader region saw activity from the Pony Express and Central Overland Route in the 1860s, with nearby ranches and stage stops supporting cross-country travel. Lages Station itself emerged in the early 20th century as automobile traffic increased along evolving federal highways, including alignments of the historic Lincoln Highway.

Development as a Roadside Stop (20th Century)

Lages Station functioned mainly as a practical roadside service point for motorists in one of Nevada’s most isolated stretches. It typically included:

  • A gas station
  • Convenience store / small restaurant or diner
  • Basic lodging or motel rooms
  • RV park facilities

During its peak mid-20th century period, the settlement supported a small population (estimated at 10–20 residents at times) sustained by highway traffic, local ranching, and travelers heading between Ely, Wells, and beyond. It served as a welcome oasis in the vast desert, offering fuel, food, and rest in an area with few other services.

The junction’s strategic position made it a key navigational point: U.S. 93 continues north toward Wells and Interstate 80, while the Alternate route provides another path through the region.

Decline and Modern Era

As with many small Nevada roadside communities, Lages Station declined in the late 20th century due to improved vehicles with longer ranges, highway realignments, and rural depopulation. Major mining operations in the county (such as copper in Ely/Ruth) had less direct impact here compared to transportation services.

By the early 2000s, the settlement had become a near-ghost town. As of 2007, only a single family remained, operating the last gas station and living in the former commercial buildings. In later years, the gas station and associated services largely closed, with the structures repurposed primarily as a private residence (notably occupied by the Gledhill family in some accounts).

Today, it is classified as a ghost town with minimal remaining activity. Travelers may still see the cluster of buildings at the junction, but services are generally unavailable.

Legacy

Lages Station represents a different facet of White Pine County’s history — not a booming mining camp, but a humble waystation that supported the flow of people and goods across Nevada’s vast interior in the automobile age. It highlights the challenges and resilience of remote outposts dependent on transient traffic rather than mineral wealth.

The site remains a minor landmark for road trippers, historians, and those exploring U.S. 93. Its quiet presence underscores the isolation and stark beauty of the Great Basin landscape.

Sources

This report draws from Wikipedia entries, traveler accounts (such as blogs and road trip journals), USGS mapping data, and regional Nevada historical resources. Information on Lages Station is relatively sparse compared to major mining towns, reflecting its modest scale and function.

Saint Joseph, Nevada – Clark County Ghost Town

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

Saint Joseph, Nevada, is a historic ghost town located in Clark County in the Moapa Valley along the east bank of the Muddy River. It played a brief but notable role in the mid-19th-century Mormon colonization efforts in southern Nevada. Today, little physical evidence remains of the original settlement, though its legacy connects to the modern community of Logandale.

Founding and Early Settlement (1865)

Mormon settlers, directed by Brigham Young as part of the broader Muddy Mission (or Moapa Mission), established Saint Joseph in May 1865. A group led by Thomas Smith initially founded the nearby community of St. Thomas at the confluence of the Muddy and Virgin Rivers earlier that year. In June 1865, a second group moved about nine miles north and built a fort on a bluff overlooking the east side of the Muddy River, roughly five miles north of present-day Overton.

The settlement was named Saint Joseph, reportedly after Joseph Young, a colonizer and son of Brigham Young. Like other Muddy Mission outposts, its purpose was agricultural: to grow crops such as cotton, wheat, and corn in the fertile river valley, while also securing the area against non-Mormon (“Gentile”) travelers and supporting the broader Latter-day Saints expansion in the American West.

Settlers constructed adobe buildings, a wooden gristmill (sometimes associated with the nearby Simonsville or Mill Point area), and other infrastructure. The mill processed salt, corn, and wheat. By 1867, the community had grown enough to receive its own post office (established August 26, 1867). It briefly served as the county seat when the Utah Territory created Rio Virgen County, even as the Arizona Territory claimed parts of the valley under Pah-Ute County.

The 1868 Fire and Relocation

In 1868, a fire—reportedly started by young boys attempting to roast potatoes—swept through the town and destroyed most of the structures, sparing at least one adobe building. Residents attempted to rebuild, but many relocated a few miles northwest to a new site along the Muddy River (sometimes described as on the west side or a short distance upstream). This new location also took the name Saint Joseph and grew to several hundred residents. The original post office transferred there.

Abandonment Due to Boundary Issues (1870–1871)

A major turning point came with the 1870 boundary survey, which determined that the Moapa Valley, including Saint Joseph, lay within Nevada rather than the Utah or Arizona territories as previously assumed. Nevada authorities demanded that the Mormon settlers pay substantial back taxes in gold coin—a burden the community found unsustainable. With permission from Brigham Young, most residents abandoned the settlement in 1871. Only one family reportedly remained initially.

This abandonment mirrored the fate of other Muddy Mission towns like St. Thomas. Non-Mormon settlers (“Gentiles”) soon moved in to claim the farmlands and remaining structures.

Later History and Connection to Logandale

Mormon pioneers began returning to the Moapa Valley around 1880, repurchasing land and re-establishing communities such as Overton and parts of the former Saint Joseph area. The relocated Saint Joseph site was renamed Logan (after an early pioneer or to avoid confusion) and later Logandale in 1917. Logandale incorporated the post office and became a lasting agricultural community in Clark County.

A Saint Joseph Cemetery in the area dates back to the 1860s, with initial use around 1864–1869 and additional burials in the 1890s. Some remnants, such as foundations or the occasional adobe structure, have been noted by historians and local explorers, though the original townsite is largely gone. Nearby historic buildings in the Logandale area, like the Gubler House (built 1909), reflect the continued settlement history.

Geographic and Modern Context

Saint Joseph (historical) is situated in Clark County, Nevada, with coordinates approximately 36°34′22″N 114°26′59″W. It lies in the Moapa Valley, part of the broader region that includes Overton and Logandale, north of Las Vegas. Clark County itself was not organized until 1909 (carved from Lincoln County), long after the town’s abandonment.

Today, Saint Joseph is classified as a ghost town, with minimal visible ruins compared to better-preserved sites like St. Thomas (partially submerged and later exposed due to Lake Mead fluctuations). The area’s history is preserved through local historical societies, the Clark County Museum, and accounts of the Muddy Mission.

Significance in Nevada History

Saint Joseph exemplifies the challenges faced by early Mormon settlements in the arid West: ambitious agricultural missions, conflicts over territorial boundaries, and tensions with state taxation. The Muddy Mission towns, including Saint Joseph, St. Thomas, and others, represented Brigham Young’s vision of a self-sustaining “Zion” corridor stretching from Utah southward. Their short-lived nature highlights how federal boundary decisions and economic pressures shaped settlement patterns in southern Nevada during the post-Civil War era.

The story of Saint Joseph underscores the resilience of the Moapa Valley’s communities, which transitioned from short-term missionary outposts to enduring agricultural towns like Logandale and Overton that still thrive today on farming and ties to Las Vegas.

Sources for further reading include local histories such as Pearson Starr Corbett’s work on the Muddy Mission, Nevada historical society publications, and sites documenting Clark County ghost towns. Remnants and related sites can sometimes be viewed in the Moapa Valley area, though visitors should respect private property and protected lands.