Gold Butte is a classic Nevada ghost town located in the eastern hook of Clark County, in the rugged Virgin Mountains of the Mojave Desert. The townsite lies south of Gold Butte peak (elevation 5,013 feet), between the Nevada-Arizona state line to the east and the Virgin River (now part of Lake Mead) to the west. It is now protected within the Gold Butte National Monument, a remote area managed by the Bureau of Land Management and accessible via the Gold Butte Backcountry Byway. The site is approximately 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas and features arid desert terrain with granite outcrops, making it a stark example of early 20th-century mining isolation.
Early History and Founding
Indications of mining in the broader Gold Butte area date back possibly to the 1700s, with Spanish prospectors leaving behind arrastras (large flat rocks used by donkeys to crush ore). The first documented activity came in 1873 when Daniel Bonelli discovered mica and made trial shipments in 1893–1894. However, the town itself sprang up after gold was discovered in 1905, sparking a rush of prospectors from 1905 to 1906.
A post office opened on March 19, 1906 (operating until February 28, 1911). In 1908, the Gold Butte Mercantile, Townsite & Mining Co. formally laid out the townsite. Due to the extreme scarcity of wood and construction materials in the desert, Gold Butte was never a traditional wooden settlement but primarily a tent city. Supplies were hauled from nearby St. Thomas, and the community quickly grew around mining claims.
Economic Activities
The economy revolved around small-scale mining, primarily gold, with additional efforts targeting mica, copper, lead, zinc, silver, and magnesite. Ore was crushed using arrastras (several of which still exist nearby) and shipped by wagon to St. Thomas for rail transport. At its peak, the town supported a saloon, hotel, livery stable, store, and even a brothel; a sanitarium was proposed but never built. Population estimates reached around 2,000, though most residents lived in canvas tents. Total mineral production from the Gold Butte district was roughly $75,000. Copper mining in the area continued on a smaller scale into World War I to meet wartime demand.
Decline and Abandonment
The boom was short-lived. Gold deposits proved limited and played out rapidly. By the end of 1910, many mines had shut down, with most mining activity halting completely by December 1910. The post office closed in 1911 due to the dwindling population. Buildings were dismantled and relocated to St. Thomas, and the town was effectively abandoned by 1911. What had been a bustling tent-city mining camp faded into obscurity almost as quickly as it appeared.
Legacy and Current Status
Today, Gold Butte stands as a poignant reminder of Nevada’s ephemeral mining booms. Very little remains: scattered building foundations, rusting mining equipment, several caged mine shafts, and historic arrastras. Two graves are among the most prominent features—those of Arthur “Art” Coleman (a lanky prospector who died in 1958 at age 82) and William “Bill” Garrett (a tall Texas cattleman and nephew of Pat Garrett, who died in 1961 at age 81). The pair met in 1916 and lived at the abandoned townsite for over four decades, running cattle, prospecting, and distilling moonshine while hosting travelers. Their graves, now protected by concrete vaults after an incident of vandalism in 2014, are a quiet testament to the area’s post-boom resilience.
The site is preserved within Gold Butte National Monument (established by presidential proclamation on December 28, 2016), which safeguards not only the mining remnants but also ancient Native American cultural resources and unique desert geology. Visitors can explore the townsite via the backcountry byway, though the area remains remote and requires high-clearance vehicles. It offers a tangible link to the American West’s mining and ranching heritage amid dramatic sandstone canyons and peaks.
Sources and References
- Nevada Expeditions: Gold Butte townsite page (founding dates, facilities, and later residents).
- The Spectrum: “Gold Butte’s ghost town” (2016 article on peak years and Coleman/Garrett story).
- Additional context from Friends of Gold Butte, BLM records, and historical mining district summaries.
This report draws from consistent historical accounts to provide a complete picture of Gold Butte’s rise and fall. The site remains accessible for those interested in exploring Nevada’s ghost-town legacy firsthand.