Category: Historic Monument

Culverwells Ranch

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Culverwells Ranch is Nevada State Historical Marker number fifty five located in Lincoln county, Nevada.

The meadow area around the junction of Meadow Valley Wash and Clover Creek was originally settled in the early 1860’s by Ike and Dow Barton, two Negro slaves who had escaped from Arkansas. In the early 1870’s the area was known as Dutch Flat. In 1874, ranchers Charles and William Culverwell purchased the Jackman Ranch and renamed it as Culverwell Ranch. It was later referred to as “Culverwell.” Along with ranching, the family earned a living by providing hay for the mining camps in Pioche and Delamar.

Culverwells Ranch - Caliente Nevada - Early 1900's
Caliente Nevada – Early 1900’s

A dispute between two major railroad companies began when E.H. Harriman of the Oregon Short Line and Union Pacific, pushed track from Utah to the site of Culverwell. Even as Harriman’s crews worked on the line, the newly formed San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad owned by Senator William Clark, claimed the same territory. These rival groups had sought the right-of-way in a canyon only big enough only for a single set of tracks. The Union Pacific had grade stakes set all the way into Culverwell and on toward Pioche, but their rival group gobbled up enough of the narrow canyon to set a road block in the path of Union Pacific

Nevada State Historical Markers identify significant places of interest in Nevada’s history. The Nevada State Legislature started the program in 1967 to bring the state’s heritage to the public’s attention with on-site markers. Budget cuts to the program caused the program to become dormant in 2009. Many of the markers are lost of damaged.

Marker Text

Caliente was first settled as a ranch, furnishing hay for the mining camps of Pioche and Delmar.  In 1901, the famous Harriman-Clark right-of-way battle was ended when rancher Charles Culverwell, with the aid of a broad-gauge shotgun, allowed one railroad grade to be built through his lush meadows.  Harriman and Clark had been baffling eleven years, building side-by-side grades ignoring court orders and federal marshals.


The population boom began with an influx of railroad workers, most of them immigrants from Austria, Japan, and the Ottoman Empire.  A tent city was settled in August 1903.

With the completion of the Las Angeles, San Pedro, and Salt Lake Railroad in 1905, Caliente became a division point.  Beginning in 1906, the Caliente and Pioche Railroad (now the Union Pacific) was built between Pioche and the main line at Caliente.  The large Mission Revival-style depot was built in 1923, serving as a civic center, as well as a hotel.

STATE HISTORICAL MARKER No. 55
STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE
LINCOLN COUNTY AREA DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Summary

Nevada State Historic Marker55
NameCulverwell’s Ranch
LocationLincoln County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude37.6133, -114.5148

Nevada State Historic Marker #55 Map

References

Palmetto Nevada State Historic Marker #158

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Palmetto Nevada is Nevada State Historical Marker number one hundred and fifty eight and is located in Esmeralda County, Nevada. The ghost town is located just off of highway 168 about 30 miles west of Lida, in Esmeralda County, Nevada. The area was founded in 1866, three prospectors, H.W. Bunyard, Thomas Israel and T.W. McNutt worked the area north of the townsite and discovered silver deposits.

Palmetto HSHM

The camp was named Palmetto, when the miners assumed the Joshua Trees in the area were a relative of the Palmetto Tree. A 12-stamp mill was constructed on the site, however the miners could not produce enough the keep the mill in operation. Their fortunes failed and within one year the camp was abandoned.

The mines around Palmetto Nevada soon declined. The populations of these boom towns migrated from site to site looking for opportunity and profit. The next town down the line was Blair, Nevada.

Nevada State Historical Markers identify significant places of interest in Nevada’s history. The Nevada State Legislature started the program in 1967 to bring the state’s heritage to the public’s attention with on-site markers. Budget cuts to the program caused the program to become dormant in 2009. Many of the markers are lost of damaged.

Trail Map

NSHM Marker Text 158

Thinking that local joshua trees were related to palm trees, the 1866 prospectors named the mining camp Palmetto. The town “died” and revived three times.

New prospecting in 1903 caused Palmetto to grow to a town of 200 tents on a platted townsite. At its peak year, 1906, the commercial street, over 1/2 mile long, contained all the necessary mining camp businesses.

Local miners drifted away in autumn, 1906. Mining, on a lease basis, has been minimal since that time. An important talc deposit lies nearby.

Nevada State Historica Marker #158

Nevada State Historic Marker Summary

ID159
NamePalmetto, Nevada
LocationEsmeralda County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude37.4443, -117.6952

References

Nevada Test Site State Historic Marker #165

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Nevada Test Site NSHM 165 is Nevada State Historical Marker number one hundred and sixty five and is located about 20 miles west of Indian Springs on Highway 95 in Clark County, Nevada. This marker is posted just off the highway and its orientation is parallel with the highway and can be difficult to see even when you are looking for it. There are very small highway signs in both directions on either side of the highway.

Nevada State History Marker 165 - The Nevada Test Site
Nevada State History Marker 165 – The Nevada Test Site

An Explosive History

Previously known as the Nevada Proving Grounds, the Nevada Test Site is operated by the United States Department of Energy and used for testing of nuclear weapons during the cold war. The site was established as a 680-square-mile area by President Harry S. Truman on December 18, 1950. The proving grounds are found within the Nellis Air Force Gunnery and Bombing Range. Beginning January 27th, 1951 and continuing for four decades the United States detonated over 1,000 nuclear war heads above ground.

During the 1950’s and 1960’s, air detonations created a tourist industry in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fallout from theses tests spread east on westly winds into St. George and Southern Utah. This fallout caused an increased rate in cancers including leukemia, lymphoma, thyroid cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, bone cancer, brain tumors, and gastrointestinal tract cancers.

On August 5, 1963, President John Kennedy signed the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty which effectively banning atmospheric testing in the United States and other member countries. This move prohibited all above-ground testing at the NTS but did not address underground detonations. A further 828 nuclear tests were carried out underground following the Kennedy ban.

Operation Buster-Jangle - Dog test — with troops participating in exercise Desert Rock I. It was the first U.S. nuclear field exercise conducted on land; troops shown are a mere 6 miles from the blast. At the Category:Nevada Test Site, 1 November 1951.
Operation Buster-Jangle – Dog test — with troops participating in exercise Desert Rock I. It was the first U.S. nuclear field exercise conducted on land; troops shown are a mere 6 miles from the blast. At the Category:Nevada Test Site, 1 November 1951.

Nevada State Historical Markers identify significant places of interest in Nevada’s history. The Nevada State Legislature started the program in 1967 to bring the state’s heritage to the public’s attention with on-site markers. Budget cuts to the program caused the program to become dormant in 2009. Many of the markers are lost of damaged.

Nevada State Historic Marker Summary

ID165
NameNevada State Hsitoric Marker 165 – Nevada Test Site
LocationClark County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude36.5923, -116.0297

Nevada State Historic Marker #165 Map

Nevada State Historic Marker #165 Text

Testing of weapons for defense and for peaceful uses of nuclear explosives is conducted here. The nation’s principal nuclear explosives testing laboratory is located within this 1,350-square-mile, geologically complex area in the isolated valleys of Jackass, Yucca and Frenchman Flats. Selected as on-continent test site in 1950, the first test took place on Frenchman Flat in January, 1951.

Archeological studies of the NTS area have revealed continuous occupation by prehistoric man from about 9,500 years ago. Several prehistoric cultures are represented. The last aboriginal group to occupy the site was the Southern Paiute, who foraged plant foods in season and occupied the area until the coming of the pioneers.

Nevada State Historic Marker #165

References

Ophir Nevada

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Ophir Nevada is a ghost town and Nevada State Historical Marker number sixty four and is located in Lander County, Nevada.

Ophir Canyon in the mid 1880's
Ophir Canyon in the mid 1880’s

In 1864, R. B. Canfield purchased the principal ledge, also known as the Murphy ledge. Canfield utilized the Twin River Mining Company to secure financing. A wagon road is constructed, in 1865, to the site from the Big Smokey Valley for a cost of $8,000 for the two and a half mile road. The steep route suffered from grades of 10 degrees and nine creek crossings are made with wooden bridges.

A Growing Town

The newly founded Toiyabe City has a population of 400 citizens and a tri-weekly stage from Austin brought in people and supplies for the mines. In 1886, a twenty stamp mill is constructed at great costs, from the natural granite and shale sourced in the area. The mill produced over $750,000 in silver in the next two years. Despite this seemingly high rate of production, the mines did not produce a profit, due to the unusually dense rock which slowed operations considerably.

During its heyday, Ophir Canyon boasted saloons, stores and hotels. A post office operated at the site from June 18, 1867 to December 5, 1893.

Nevada State Historical Markers identify significant places of interest in Nevada’s history. The Nevada State Legislature started the program in 1967 to bring the state’s heritage to the public’s attention with on-site markers. Budget cuts to the program caused the program to become dormant in 2009. Many of the markers are lost of damaged.

Nevada State Historic Marker Text

Well up into the canyon above, the massive stone foundations of a costly and splendid stamp mill as well as the stone walls of an elegant office and mansion are visible.  This is the site of Ophir, now a ghost town.

In 1863, S. Boulerond discovered ore at Ophir.  In 1864, the Murphy Mine opened and became the leading local producer.  In 1865, a 20-stamp mill was completed costing over $200,000.  This included the first experimental Stetefeldt furnace ever built.  When the Murphy Mill was built, the town of Toiyabe City was established, growing to a population of 400.  Through poor management, the work in the mines declined in 1869.  Ophir was almost deserted.  In the 1880s, the mines were reactivated, and Ophir had another period of prosperity.  By the 1890s, the town was deserted but some mining activity at the Murphy Mine continued sporadically into the 20th century.

More than $3,000,000 worth of gold and silver were mined from the Murphy vein and from surrounding properties.  Iron, copper and arsenic were also found in the area.

Ophir managed to have all the accouterments of a large community, including a school, a church, various lodges, and, of course, several saloons.

STATE HISTORICAL MARKER NO.  64
STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE
CENTRAL NEVADA REDEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

Nevada State Historic Marker Summary

ID64
NameOphir, Nevada
LocationLander County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude38.9385, -117.1971

Nevada State Historic Marker Map

References

Delamar NSHM Nevada State Historic Marker #90

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Delamar NSHM is Nevada State Historical Marker number ninety seven and is located in Lincoln County, Nevada. Nicknamed “The Widowmaker”, Delamar, Nevada is a ghost town and gold mining town in Monkeywrench Wash, Lincoln County, Nevada. Prospectors and Farmers from Pahranagat, John Fergusen and Joseph Sharp officially discovered gold in 1889 around Monkeywrench Wash. This event lead to the founding of the Fergusen Mining District and a camp of that name was established. Initial assays ranged from $75 to $1000 per ton of gold ore. This was more than enough to attract the attention of investors.

Delamar Nevada in the 1890's. Many of the buildings were transported from nearby Pioche on wagons. After the devastating fire in 1909, most of the remaining wooden buildings were transported back to Pioche.
Delamar Nevada in the 1890’s. Many of the buildings were transported from nearby Pioche on wagons. After the devastating fire in 1909, most of the remaining wooden buildings were transported back to Pioche.

Nevada State Historical Markers identify significant places of interest in Nevada’s history. The Nevada State Legislature started the program in 1967 to bring the state’s heritage to the public’s attention with on-site markers. Budget cuts to the program caused the program to become dormant in 2009. Many of the markers are lost of damaged.

Gold was discovered here in 1889. This isolated, treeless metropolis of over 1,500 residents, had a newspaper, hospital, school, churches, saloons and a stockbroker. Entertainment included brass bands, dance orchestras and stage attractions at the Opera House.

Water came from Meadow Valley Wash, 12 miles away. All other materials were hauled through the mountains by mule team 150 miles from a railroad head at Milford, Utah. For 16 years, most of the bullion was hauled out in the same manner.

The dry milling processes used prior to the introduction of wet methods created a fine silicon or “death” dust which caused the deaths of many residents and gave the town its nickname.

Delamar produced $15,000,000 in gold and was Nevada’s leading producer of that decade.

NEVADA HISTORIC MARKER #90

Delamar NSHM Map

Delamar NSHM Summary

Nevada State Historic Marker90
NameDelamar “The Widow Maker”, Nevada
LocationLincoln County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude37.6207, -114.7839

References