Coppereid, also known as White Cloud City, is a historic ghost town and mining camp in Churchill County, Nevada, located in White Cloud Canyon on the western slope of the Stillwater Range. The site lies approximately 35 miles southeast of Oreana (or roughly 20–25 miles south/southeast of Fallon, depending on the route), accessible via dirt roads off Stillwater Road into the canyon. Coordinates are approximately 39.849°N, 118.189°W. It is a remote, scenic location with a seasonal stream, wildlife, and remnants of stone and adobe structures, including building foundations and smelter ruins.
Early Discovery and Development (1860s–1890s)
Copper ore was first discovered in White Cloud Canyon in 1868 by Frederick Smith and Major B.B. Bee. Initial small-scale work occurred in the early 1870s (around 1871–1873), with a copper smelter erected near the mouth of the canyon at what was then called White Cloud City or the White Cloud mining area. Operations were limited due to transportation challenges, low-grade ore, and the remote desert setting. Further intermittent activity took place in 1889–1896, particularly in 1893–1896, focusing on copper with some associated iron, lead, and other minerals.
In the early 1890s, the area saw renewed interest under the name Clemens (with a post office established October 29, 1892, and discontinued June 26, 1895). Mining remained modest, reflecting the boom-and-bust cycle typical of small Nevada mining districts in the Great Basin.
Peak Activity as Coppereid (1900s–1910s)
A more substantial camp emerged around 1907 when the site was redeveloped as Coppereid. A new townsite formed adjacent to the Coppereid Mine, featuring a steam hoisting plant, air compressor, and several buildings to support underground mining. By 1908, the camp included infrastructure for processing ore. A 3,790-foot aerial tramway was constructed to transport ore from mines higher in the canyon down to a smelter near the mouth.
The Coppereid post office opened on April 8, 1907, and operated until June 15, 1914, serving a small population that peaked at around 40 residents. The settlement supported miners, their families, and support workers in a typical early-20th-century mining camp layout. Ore production remained relatively small overall, with copper as the primary commodity alongside iron. The mine is classified in the Copper Kettle Mining District (or associated with the White Cloud/White Cloud Canyon area).
Decline and Later Attempts
Like many small Nevada mining operations, Coppereid struggled with economic viability. High transportation costs, fluctuating metal prices, and the challenges of water and isolation contributed to its decline after the post office closed in 1914. The site was largely abandoned by the 1910s–1920s, transitioning into a ghost town.
A final attempt to revive the mine occurred from 1948 to 1952. Workers recovered nearly $10,000 in ore, but operations ended abruptly when a flash flood—caused by water issuing from the main adit—damaged equipment and infrastructure. No significant production has occurred since, and the mine is now closed with no known plans for reopening.
Today and Preservation
Coppereid/White Cloud City remains a popular destination for ghost town enthusiasts, historians, and off-road explorers. Visible ruins include stone building foundations, smelter remnants, mine workings, and scattered debris from the mining era. The canyon setting provides a picturesque contrast of desert landscape, riparian vegetation along the stream, and rugged mountain terrain.
The site is on public land (likely Bureau of Land Management) and is accessible but requires high-clearance or 4WD vehicles for the final approach. Visitors are encouraged to practice “leave no trace” principles, avoid disturbing structures or artifacts, and be prepared for remote conditions with no services. It is sometimes visited alongside other nearby Churchill County sites like those in the Stillwater Range.
Coppereid exemplifies the small-scale, speculative copper mining that occurred across rural Nevada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Unlike larger silver or gold rushes (such as those in Austin or Tonopah), it never developed into a major boomtown but left tangible ruins that illustrate the optimism, hardship, and transience of frontier mining life in the Great Basin. Its history ties into broader patterns of mineral exploration in Churchill County, which has seen varied but generally modest production compared to neighboring counties.