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.
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
| ID | 159 |
| Name | Palmetto, Nevada |
| Location | Esmeralda County, Nevada |
| Latitude, Longitude | 37.4443, -117.6952 |