Big Bear, CA
I quiet mountain community full of back country adventure.
Diamondfield Nevada – Esmeralda County Ghost Town
Located just five miles north-northeast of Goldfield, Diamondfield is a ghost town and mine camp in Esmeralda County, Nevada. The camp was founded by Jackson Lee “Diamondfield Jack” Davis who was pardoned for murder in Idaho and moved to Nevada where is started several mining camps. In the spring of 1903, when news of promising gold strikes in Goldfield, Davis travelled to the location. After exploring and prospecting he uncovered promising ore ledges on McMahon Ridge northeast of town.
Within weeks of his discovery, prospectors flooded into the area. Diamondfield Jack, ever the opportunist plotted a townsite for the location and build a toll road to the new town from Goldfield. In the fall of 1904, the town reached its apex. At that time, it boasted a Post Office, three saloons, restaurants, general stores, schools, church, livery, butcher shop, blacksmith and union hall for the miners, which is impressive for a town just six months old. Public servants such as a sheriff, notary public and lawyer also maintained offices in the new formed district.
Although seemly setup for the long haul, this little town was never more than a suburb to its rival just five miles away. My 1907, the glory days of Diamondfield were in its past and the towns people migrated to Goldfield for better opportunities.
Town Summary
| Name | Diamondfield |
| Location | Esmeralda County, Nevada |
| Latitude, Longitude | 37.7460445, -117.1900777 |
| GNIS | 864791 |
| Elevation | 5,650 feet |
| Population | 200 – 300 |
| Post Office | Nov 1904-May 1908 |
Diamondfield Map
Resources
Gold Point Nevada – Esmeralda County Ghost Town
Founded in 1860s, Gold Point, is a ghost time and silver mining camp located in Esmerelda County, Nevada. The townsite was known by three different names, depending upon the ore being actively mined at the time. Lime deposits in 1868 saw the formation of the town “Lime Point”. The ore was hauled to nearby Lida for processing.
Operations were stopped in 1882 when the huge processing costs, inefficient milling and the distance to the railroads were the contributing factors. The growth of Tonapah gave the area better facilities for ore processing. In 1903 and 1904 a rush in Goldfield virtually emptied the district. Interest returned to the district in 1905 when the Great Western Mine opened operations.
In the spring of 1908 the discovery of “hornsilver” silver ore nearby prompted the district to rename to Horn Silver. Rich ore prompted a rush of miners to the district. May 1908, saw the formation of the Hornsilver Herald and a post office followed just a few days later. Immediately plans to bring in railroad server to haul ore were considered. Automobiles were used to provide stage service to Goldfield, Lida and Cuprite for a modest sum.
Hornsilver is the latest wonder in Nevada Mining districts… A comer… Main Street is extending almost as you watch it.
Goldfield Review
The town of Hornsilver boasted 13 saloons, several shops and stores. All in all, some 225 framed buildings, tents and shacks housed the citizens of the little hamlet. The miners followed the ore deep into the ground until 1908 when courts battles brought many operations to a standstill. Milling in the area was still inefficient which cost the mines their profits and unsustainable for a time.
1915 found the returns of large scale mine operations. The Great Western Mine was sold to Charles Stoneham of the New York Giants in 1922. The Great Western Mine was the districts best producer with over $500,000 worth of gold and silver being produced. The District and Town was again renamed to Gold Point in 1930 and operated until 1942 until World War II pulled all essential personnel into war time production.
Today, the town maintains a population of 7 citizens. Manybuildings remain in various states and some of the homes and cabins are available for rental.
Ghost Town Summary
| Name | Gold Point |
| Location | Esmerelda County, Nevada |
| Latitude, Longitude | 37.3546518,-117.3738315 |
| GNIS | 848320 |
| Elevation | 5,400 feet |
| Activity | 1868 – 1880 – Lime Point 1907 – 1927 – Hornsilver 1930 – Gold Point |
| Post Office | 1908 – |
| Newspaper | Hornsilver Herald |
Gold Point Map
Resources
Arizona Thistle ( Cirsium arizonicum )
Arizona Thistle ( Cirsium arizonicum ) is a member of the sunflower family and common across the south west. The thistle has a two year live span. For the first year, it thrives as a low lying rosette of thorns. The second year of life, the plant springs into action and can grow up to four feet tall and grows a flower stalk to hold a purple colored flower head high into the air. The flower is known to bloom in red, pink and purple in color.
Teddybear Cholla ( Cylindropuntia bigelovii )
The soft bristly cactus spines give the Teddybear Cholla its furry, cute appearance and mask the ferocious defense of this desert cactus. This member of the cactus family typically grows between 3 and 5 feet in height. Its body is built utilizing highly segmented branches which easily detached or broken when anything bushes against them giving the cactus the nickname “Jumping Cholla”
Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)
A member of the cuckoo family, the long legged Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) is an icon of the desert southwest in part to the artistic efforts of Warner Brothers and their animated series featuring “Wile E Coyote”. Road runners are aptly named and may reach a top speed of 26 mph on the ground. Anyone who attempts to stalk them will note their speed and agility as they effortlessly out distance the stalker.
The road runner is a larger bird than one might realize and typically is between 20 and 24 inches in length. The bird is typically between 10 and 12 inches in height and boasts a wing span on 17 to 24 inches. The upper body is a shade of brown with black streaks and may feature pink spots. This pattern helps break up the outline of the bird and helps provide camouflage. The lower body is commonly white or ran in appearance. The head features a prominent crest of brown features.
Despite the branding and name, the greater roadrunner is capable of flight, although it spends most of its time on the ground. This animal can be found at most elevations between -200 and 7500 feet and favors semi arid scrubland with scattered low lying vegetation. The bird spends its time hunting and stalking its prey. Once sighted prey is quickly run down by the fast legs of this peditor. Common prey items include spiders, insects, scorpions, mice, small birds and lizards and even rattlesnakes.
The greater roadrunner typically forms long pair bonds with its mate. Typically, clutches of 3 – 6 eggs are laid in the spring months. The nests of this bird are commonly found in low brush and cactus and are built by the male. Common with other cuckoos, the roadrunner are known to lay eggs in the nests of other birds, such as the raven.
Field Guide Description
“A large, ground-dwelling cuckoo streaked with brown and white. Note the long, heavy bill, conspicuous bushy crest and long, white-edged tail. Short, rounded wings show a white crescent on the primaries. Eats insects, lizards, snakes, rodents and small birds. Song is a dovelike cooing, descending in pitch. Range: Common in scrub desert and mesquite groves; less common in chaparral and open woodland.”
Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Third Edition, pg 244
Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae |
| Genus | Geococcyx |
| Species | californianus |