Tag: Lake Mojave

Lake Mojave, nestled along the border of California and Nevada, is a picturesque reservoir formed by the damming of the Colorado River. Stretching approximately 28 miles in length, it offers a striking contrast between its deep blue waters and the arid, rugged desert landscape that surrounds it. The lake is a popular destination for water sports, fishing, and boating, while its serene, expansive vistas provide a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of urban life. As a vital component of the Colorado River system, Lake Mojave also plays a crucial role in regional water management and hydroelectric power generation.

Colorado Mining District

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The Colorado Mining District, also known as the Eldorado (or El Dorado) Mining District and later associated with the Nelson mining area, is located in southern Clark County, Nevada, within Eldorado Canyon in the Eldorado Mountains. The canyon runs eastward from near modern Nelson (approximately 45 minutes southeast of Las Vegas along Nevada Highway 165) and drains into the Colorado River at the former site of Nelson’s Landing (now part of Lake Mohave). At the time of its founding, the district lay on the west bank of the Colorado River, about 65 miles above Fort Mohave, which marked the practical upstream limit of steamboat navigation.

Mill in Eldorado Canyon, circa 1890
Mill in Eldorado Canyon, circa 1890

The district encompasses roughly 44 square miles of rugged desert terrain with Precambrian gneiss, schist, and Miocene volcanic rocks cut by north-trending faults. Mineralization occurs primarily in quartz-calcite veins hosted in fractured quartz monzonite and volcanic rocks. The area adjoins the western edge of what is now Lake Mead National Recreation Area and was originally part of New Mexico Territory, then Arizona Territory (Mohave County), before becoming part of Nevada in 1866.

Early History/Founding

Prospecting in the canyon dates back possibly to Spanish explorers in 1775, who named the area “El Dorado” (the gilded one) after observing gold, silver, and lead deposits. Native American groups, including the Paiute and Mojave, had long used the region for turquoise extraction. Formal American-era activity began around 1857–1859 when gold and silver were noted, possibly by soldiers from Fort Mojave or local prospectors. Steamboat captain George Alonzo Johnson formally named the canyon in 1857 after observing the deposits.

El Dorado Canyon look down on Lake Mojave in Clark County Nevada
El Dorado Canyon look down on Lake Mojave in Clark County Nevada

The major rush ignited in April 1861 when Mojave Chief Irataba guided prospector John Moss to a rich silver vein. News of the strikes in what was organized as the Colorado Mining District (by 1864 also called the Eldorado Canyon District) drew a flood of miners that fall, amid the outbreak of the Civil War. By the early 1860s, several camps formed: San Juan/Upper Camp (near modern Nelson), Alturas and Louisville (near the Techatticup Mine), Colorado City (at the river landing), Lucky Jim Camp (Confederate sympathizers), and Buster Falls (Union sympathizers). The district was formally organized around 1861–1862, with over 760 lodes and 850 mining deeds recorded by 1865.

Steamboats (such as those operated by George A. Johnson) provided critical supply lines from the Gulf of California, delivering goods and coal while barging ore downstream—far cheaper than overland routes across the Mojave Desert. In 1867, the U.S. Army established Camp El Dorado at the canyon mouth to protect miners from Paiute attacks and secure river traffic; the outpost operated until 1869. Early mining was small-scale and individual, focused on high-grade surface silver chloride ores.

Economic Activities

The district’s primary commodities were gold and silver, with lesser amounts of copper, lead, and zinc. Ores occurred in fissure veins and were extracted via underground workings, with high-grade silver chloride (up to 400 ounces per ton) hand-sorted and sacked for shipment in the earliest years. Stamp mills were soon built at the river mouth to reduce transportation costs: an early mill (pre-1864, later called the Colorado Mill) was followed by the Spear Brothers’ 10-stamp New Era Mill in 1865 and Col. John R. Vineyard’s ten-stamp mill at El Dorado City in late 1863.

Key mines included the Techatticup (the district’s largest and oldest producer, opened 1862–1863), Wall Street, and the El Dorado Rand Group (incorporating the Honest Miner claim). Steamboat traffic peaked in the 1860s but continued into the early 20th century. Production was intermittent but significant; the three largest mines alone yielded over $6 million. District-wide estimates suggest total production exceeded $6–10 million in gold, silver, and base metals, with later figures (1907–1954) including at least 100,600 ounces of gold and 2.36 million ounces of silver. Peak years included the 1939–1942 period before wartime restrictions.

Civil War-era politics divided the canyon into Union and Confederate camps, but production continued despite desertions and security issues. Post-1870 revival saw deeper mining and additional mills; free-milling gold ores were worked with arrastras in the 1890s.

Decline/Abandonment

Activity fluctuated with ore grades, transportation costs, Indian conflicts, and national events. The 1860s boom waned due to the need for capital-intensive milling and protection, though a post office operated 1865–1867 (Arizona Territory) and again 1879–1907 (Nevada). Production slowed after the early 20th century but revived during favorable metal prices in the 1930s–early 1940s. U.S. Government Order WPB-L208 halted gold mining in October 1942, effectively ending large-scale operations during World War II. Some small-scale work and heap-leach activity occurred into the 1970s–1980s, but the district’s major mines closed permanently afterward. Nelson served as the later hub, with its post office operating intermittently until the mid-20th century.

Legacy/Current Status

The Colorado Mining District ranks among the earliest and richest mining areas in southern Nevada, contributing significantly to regional development and demonstrating the role of river transport in desert mining. It produced millions in precious metals across nearly a century of intermittent activity and left a legacy of colorful Wild West history, including lawlessness, Civil War divisions, and technological adaptation (steamboats and mills). Today, the canyon and associated Nelson Ghost Town are preserved as a historic site. The Techatticup Mine offers guided tours, and ruins of mills, cabins, and equipment attract hikers, photographers, and history enthusiasts. A Nevada State Historic Preservation Office marker commemorates the district. No large-scale mining occurs, though some claims remain; the area is valued for its scenic desert landscape and cultural heritage within the broader Lake Mead region.

Seal of Clark County Nevada

Buster Falls, Nevada – Clark County Ghost Town

Seal of Clark County Nevada Buster Falls is a historic ghost town and former mining camp located in El Dorado Canyon (also spelled Eldorado Canyon)…
Seal of Clark County Nevada

Colorado City, Nevada

Colorado City was a short-lived 19th-century mining camp and steamboat landing in what is now Clark County, Nevada. Situated at the mouth of El Dorado…
Seal of Clark County Nevada

Louisville Nevada

Seal of Clark County Nevada Louisville was a short-lived mining camp and ghost town site in El Dorado Canyon (also spelled Eldorado Canyon) within the…
Seal of Clark County Nevada

Lucky Jim Camp, Nevada

Seal of Clark County Nevada Lucky Jim Camp, sometimes referred to as Lucky Camp, was a short-lived mining camp and ghost town site in Clark…

Nelson Nevada and Eldorado Canyon – Clark County Ghost Town

Nelson, Nevada, is a small unincorporated community in Clark County, located in the rugged hills of El Dorado Canyon about 45 minutes south of Las…

Sources/References

  • Nevada State Historic Preservation Office: Eldorado Canyon historical marker.
  • Nevada Historical Society Quarterly (Spring 1968): “Early Development of El Dorado Canyon and Searchlight Mining Districts” by John M. Townley.
  • U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 91-323 (1991): Mineral resources of the El Dorado and Ireteba Peaks Wilderness Study Areas (production and geology summary).
  • Additional context from Mindat.org, Western Mining History, and Nevada Bureau of Mines records.

Colorado City, Nevada

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Colorado City was a short-lived 19th-century mining camp and steamboat landing in what is now Clark County, Nevada. Situated at the mouth of El Dorado Canyon on the Colorado River, the settlement served as a key support point for gold and silver mining operations in the surrounding canyon. Today, it is a submerged ghost town, lying beneath the waters of Lake Mohave, created by the construction of Davis Dam in 1951. The former site is located offshore from Nelson’s Landing (approximate coordinates: 35°42′27″N 114°42′42″W).

El Dorado Canyon itself was renowned for rich silver and gold deposits and hosted multiple mining camps over the decades, but Colorado City stood out as the river-accessible hub at the canyon’s lower end.

Founding and Early Development (1861)

Colorado City was established in 1861 during the early days of organized mining in the region. It began as a mining camp within the Colorado Mining District, originally part of the New Mexico Territory. The location was chosen for its strategic position on the Colorado River, which allowed it to function not only as a mining settlement but also as a steamboat landing. Ore, supplies, and equipment could be shipped efficiently via riverboats, connecting the remote canyon mines to broader trade networks.

The area had seen earlier Spanish exploration in the 1770s, when prospectors sought gold and silver, but sustained American mining activity intensified in the mid-19th century after discoveries in El Dorado Canyon. By 1861, Colorado City supported miners working claims higher in the canyon, including sites that later became associated with the Techatticup Mine and other productive claims.

Territorial Changes

The town’s administrative status shifted several times due to rapidly changing territorial boundaries in the American Southwest:

  • 1861–1863: Part of the Colorado Mining District in New Mexico Territory.
  • 1863: Transferred to Mohave County, Arizona Territory.
  • 1867: Became part of Lincoln County in the newly formed state of Nevada (Clark County itself was not carved out of Lincoln County until 1909).

These shifts reflected the broader political reorganization of the region following the Civil War and Nevada’s statehood in 1864.

Economic Activities and Infrastructure (1860s)

Colorado City’s economy centered on mining support and river transport. In 1866, two steam-powered stamp mills were established to process ore from the canyon mines:

  • The Colorado Mill (relocated down the canyon from El Dorado City and refurbished).
  • The New Era Mill (a newer installation).

Both mills relied on locally available wood as fuel for their steam engines, an advantage given the town’s riverside location. The mills crushed ore to extract gold, silver, and other minerals, making Colorado City a small but vital industrial node in southern Nevada’s mining economy.

The settlement was never large, functioning primarily as a functional camp rather than a permanent town with extensive civilian infrastructure. It coexisted with other canyon camps such as San Juan (Upper Camp), Alturas, and Louisville. Military presence was briefly established nearby in 1867 with Camp El Dorado at the canyon mouth to protect miners from Paiute attacks and secure river traffic; the outpost was abandoned by 1869.

Mining in El Dorado Canyon (and thus support from Colorado City) experienced periods of boom and bust but remained active into the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with renewed interest during the early 1900s and even World War II.

Decline and Submersion (20th Century)

Like many remote mining outposts, Colorado City declined as richer surface deposits were exhausted and transportation patterns changed. By the mid-20th century, the site had long been abandoned and was already considered a ghost town.

The final chapter came in 1951 with the completion of Davis Dam by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The dam created Lake Mohave, a reservoir on the Colorado River that flooded the lower canyon mouth, including the former location of Colorado City and the adjacent steamboat landing. The town’s remains now lie underwater, along with other historical features such as an old stamp mill site.

Nearby Nelson (higher in the canyon) survived as a small community and later became a modest tourist destination focused on the Techatticup Mine, but Colorado City itself disappeared beneath the lake.

Legacy and Significance

Though small and short-lived, Colorado City illustrates the rapid development and equally rapid abandonment typical of the American West’s mining frontier. It highlights the importance of river transport in the pre-railroad era and the role of steamboat landings in sustaining isolated mining districts. Its submersion under Lake Mohave also serves as a reminder of how 20th-century dam projects transformed the Colorado River landscape, creating recreational reservoirs while erasing earlier historical sites.

Today, the area around El Dorado Canyon and Lake Mohave attracts visitors interested in ghost towns, mining history, and outdoor recreation. While Colorado City itself is inaccessible except perhaps to divers, the broader canyon’s mining heritage remains visible at sites like Nelson and the Techatticup Mine. The settlement’s story is preserved in historical records, maps, and regional histories of Clark County and southern Nevada’s mining era.

Sources: Information drawn primarily from historical summaries on Wikipedia and related Nevada mining histories. No standing structures or surface ruins of Colorado City remain due to flooding.

Colorado Steamships

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The Colorado River, flowing from the Rocky Mountains through the arid Southwest to the Gulf of California, was a challenging waterway—shallow, swift, and prone to sandbars, floods, and shifting channels. Despite these obstacles, steam-powered vessels played a vital role in its navigation from the mid-19th century until the early 20th century. Primarily operating on the lower Colorado River (from the Gulf of California upstream to areas near modern-day Nevada), steamboats transported military supplies, miners, settlers, and freight, fueling the development of Arizona, California, Nevada, and parts of Mexico. They were the most economical means of moving goods across the desert until railroads supplanted them.

View showing steamboat Cochan on the Colorado River near Yuma, Arizona in 1900 - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
View showing steamboat Cochan on the Colorado River near Yuma, Arizona in 1900 – U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

Early Attempts and the Birth of Steam Navigation (1850–1854)

The need for reliable transport arose after the Mexican-American War (1846–1848), when the U.S. Army established Fort Yuma at the confluence of the Gila and Colorado Rivers to protect emigrants heading to California during the Gold Rush. Supplying the isolated fort overland from San Diego cost up to $500 per ton. River transport from the Gulf of California offered a cheaper alternative.

Initial efforts used schooners and barges. In 1850–1851, the schooner Invincible and longboats reached only partway upriver. Lieutenant George Derby recommended shallow-draft sternwheel steamboats.

The first successful steamboat was the small iron-hulled Uncle Sam, a 65-foot tug with a 20-horsepower engine, assembled at the river’s mouth in 1852 by Captain James Turnbull. It reached Fort Yuma in December 1852 but later proved unreliable and sank.

In 1853–1854, George Alonzo Johnson, partnering with Benjamin M. Hartshorne and others, formed George A. Johnson & Company. They brought parts for the sidewheeler General Jesup from San Francisco, assembling it at the river mouth. The General Jesup carried 50 tons of cargo to Fort Yuma in five days, reducing costs to $75 per ton and proving commercial viability.

Mohave II at Yuma, Arizona, with Sunday school group embarked, 1876 - Unknown author - MacMullen, Jerry, Paddle-Wheel Days in California, Stanford University Press, 1944
Mohave II at Yuma, Arizona, with Sunday school group embarked, 1876 – Unknown author – MacMullen, Jerry, Paddle-Wheel Days in California, Stanford University Press, 1944

Expansion and Exploration (1855–1860s)

Johnson’s company built wood yards staffed by Cocopah Indians and added vessels like the sternwheeler Colorado (1855, captained by Isaac Polhamus) and others. By the late 1850s, steamboats regularly serviced Fort Yuma and emerging mining camps.

Exploration pushed limits:

  • In 1857, Johnson took the General Jesup to El Dorado Canyon (near Las Vegas).
  • The U.S. Army’s 1857–1858 expedition, led by Lt. Joseph Christmas Ives, used the 54-foot iron steamboat Explorer (built in Philadelphia and reassembled on the river). It reached Black Canyon but struck a rock; Ives deemed further navigation impractical at low water. Johnson later bought the Explorer and converted it to a barge.

Mormon leader Brigham Young sought a sea-to-Utah route via the Colorado. In 1864–1866, Anson Call established Callville (near modern Lake Mead) as a potential port. Steamboats like the Esmeralda reached it in 1866.

Boom Years: Mining Rushes and Competition (1860s–1870s)

The 1862 Colorado River gold rush near La Paz (Arizona) and later discoveries in Eldorado Canyon and elsewhere created explosive demand. Ports like Ehrenberg, Hardyville, and Aubrey emerged. Steamboats hauled machinery, food, and ore, often towing barges for extra capacity.

George A. Johnson & Company dominated initially but faced rivals like Thomas Trueworthy’s Union Line in the 1860s. Competition ended when Johnson’s company absorbed opponents. In 1869, it reorganized as the Colorado Steam Navigation Company (C.S.N.Co.), expanding the fleet with vessels like Cocopah, Mohave, and larger ones like the 149-foot Mohave II (1876) and Gila.

Key captains included Isaac Polhamus (“Dean of the Colorado River”) and later Jack Mellon. Ocean steamships connected San Francisco to the river mouth at Port Isabel, feeding river traffic.

Colorado II in a tidal dry dock in the shipyard above Port Isabel, Sonora - MacMullen, Jerry, Paddle-Wheel Days in California, Stanford University Press, 1944
Colorado II in a tidal dry dock in the shipyard above Port Isabel, Sonora – MacMullen, Jerry, Paddle-Wheel Days in California, Stanford University Press, 1944

Peak and Decline (1870s–1900s)

The 1870s marked the peak, with scheduled services and luxurious boats offering passenger excursions. The C.S.N.Co. monopolized trade, profiting immensely from military contracts, mining,, and Mormon supplies.

Railroads spelled doom. The Southern Pacific reached Yuma in 1877, bridging the river. That year, Johnson and partners sold the C.S.N.Co. to Southern Pacific interests for a massive profit. Steamboats continued but focused on upper reaches and local freight.

Later vessels included the Cochan (1900, the last major sternwheeler) and Searchlight (1903–1909), hauling ore from Nevada mines.

End of an Era (1909–1916)

The 1909 completion of Laguna Dam (for irrigation) blocked navigation. Final operations involved limited freight and dam-related work. The last commercial steamboat, Searchlight, retired around 1916.

Attempts on the upper Colorado (e.g., Glen Canyon, Green River) were short-lived due to rapids and low water.

Legacy

For over 50 years, Colorado River steamboats connected isolated frontiers, enabling settlement and extraction in a harsh desert. They carried millions in gold, supplied forts and mines, and linked the Pacific to inland territories. Though overshadowed by railroads and dams, their era transformed the Southwest, leaving behind ghost towns, historic sites like Yuma Quartermaster Depot, and a romantic chapter in Western transportation history.

Colorado River Steamship Landings

The steamboat Mohave departing the landing in El Dorado Canyon.
The steamboat Mohave departing the landing in El Dorado Canyon.
Potholes, California, From 185918 mi (29 km)
La Laguna, Arizona Territory, 1860-186320 mi (32 km)
Castle Dome Landing, Arizona Territory, 1863-188435 mi (56 km)
Eureka, Arizona Territory, 1863-1870s45 mi (72 km)
Williamsport, Arizona Territory, 1863-1870s47 mi (76 km)
Picacho, California, 1862-191048 mi (77 km)
Nortons Landing, Arizona Territory, 1882-189452 mi (84 km)
Clip, Arizona Territory, 1882-188870 mi (110 km)
California Camp, California72 mi (116 km)
Camp Gaston, California, 1859-186780 mi (130 km)
Drift Desert, Arizona Territory102 mi (164 km)
Bradshaw’s Ferry, California, 1862-1884126 mi (203 km)
Mineral City, Arizona Territory, 1864-1866126 mi (203 km)
Ehrenberg, Arizona Territory, from 1866126.5 mi (203.6 km)
Olive City, Arizona Territory, 1862-1866127 mi (204 km)
La Paz, Arizona Territory, 1862-1870131 mi (211 km)
Parker’s Landing, Arizona Territory, 1864-1905
Camp Colorado, Arizona, 1864-1869		200 mi (320 km)
Parker, Arizona Territory, from 1908203 mi (327 km)
Empire Flat, Arizona Territory, 1866-1905210 mi (340 km)
Bill Williams River, Arizona220 mi (350 km)
Aubrey City, Arizona Territory, 1862-1888220 mi (350 km)
Chimehuevis Landing, California240 mi (390 km)
Liverpool Landing, Arizona Territory242 mi (389 km)
Grand Turn, Arizona/California257 mi (414 km)
The Needles, Mohave Mountains, Arizona263 mi (423 km)
Mellen, Arizona Territory 1890 – 1909267 mi (430 km)
Eastbridge, Arizona Territory 1883 – 1890279 mi (449 km)
Needles, California, from 1883282 mi (454 km)
Iretaba City, Arizona Territory, 1864298 mi (480 km)
Fort Mohave, Arizona Territory, 1859-1890
Beale’s Crossing 1858 –		300 mi (480 km)
Mohave City, Arizona Territory, 1864-1869305 mi (491 km)
Hardyville, Arizona Territory, 1864-1893
Low Water Head of Navigation 1864-1881		310 mi (500 km)
Camp Alexander, Arizona Territory, 1867312 mi (502 km)
Polhamus Landing, Arizona Territory
Low Water Head of Navigation 1881-1882		315 mi (507 km)
Pyramid Canyon, Arizona/Nevada316 mi (509 km)
Cottonwood Island, Nevada
Cottonwood Valley		339 mi (546 km)
Quartette, Nevada, 1900-1906342 mi (550 km)
Murphyville, Arizona Territory, 1891353 mi (568 km)
Eldorado Canyon, Nevada, 1857-1905
Colorado City, Nevada 1861-1905		365 mi (587 km)
Explorer’s Rock, Black Canyon of the Colorado, Mouth, Arizona/Nevada369 mi (594 km)
Roaring Rapids, Black Canyon of the Colorado, Arizona/Nevada375 mi (604 km)
Ringbolt Rapids, Black Canyon of the Colorado, Arizona/Nevada387 mi (623 km)
Fortification Rock, Nevada
High Water Head of Navigation, 1858-1866		400 mi (640 km)
Las Vegas Wash, Nevada402 mi (647 km)
Callville, Nevada, 1864-1869
High Water Head of Navigation 1866-78		408 mi (657 km)
Boulder Canyon, Mouth, Arizona/Nevada409 mi (658 km)
Stone’s Ferry, Nevada 1866-1876438 mi (705 km)
Virgin River, Nevada440 mi (710 km)
Bonelli’s Ferry, 1876-1935
Rioville, Nevada 1869-1906
High Water Head of Navigation from 1879 to 1887		440 mi (710 km
Soruce: Wikipedia

Colorado River Steamship Landings

Steamboats on the Colorado River

Gila Steamboat at the Yuma Crossing Arizona, 1873.
Gila Steamboat at the Yuma Crossing Arizona, 1873.
NameTypeTonsLengthBeamLaunchedDisposition
Black EagleScrew40 feet6 feetGreen River, Utah
June 1907		Exploded 1907
Charles H. SpencerStern92.5 feet25 feetWarm Creek, Arizona
February 1912		Abandoned
Spring 1912
Cliff DwellerStern70 feet20 feetHalverson’s Utah
November 1905		To Salt Lake
April 1907
CochanStern234135 feet31 feetYuma, Arizona
November 1899		Dismantled
Spring 1910
Cocopah IStern140 feet29 feetGridiron, Mexico
August 1859		Dismantled
1867
Cocopah IIStern231147.5 feet28 feetYuma, Arizona
March 1867		Dismantled
1881
Colorado IStern120 feetEstuary, Mexico
December 1855		Dismantled
August 1862
Colorado IIStern179145 feet29 feetYuma, Arizona
May 1862		Dismantled
August 1882
CometStern60 feet20 feetGreen River, Wyoming
July 1908		Abandoned
1908
EsmeraldaStern93 feet13 feetRobinson’s, Mexico
December 1857		Dismantled
1868
General JesupSide104 feet17 feetEstuary, Mexico
January, 1864		Engine Removed
1858
General RosalesSternYuma, Arizona
July 1878		Dismantled
1859
GilaStern236149 feet31 feetPort Isabel, Mexico
January 1873		Rebuilt as Cochan
1889
Major PowellScrew35 feet8 feetGreen River, Utah
August 1891		Dismantled
1894
Mohave IStern193135 feet28 feetEstuary, Mexico
May 1864		Dismantled
1875
Mohave IIStern188149.5 feet31.5 feetPort Isabel, Mexico
February 1876		Dismantled
Jan 1900
Nina TildenStern12097 feet22 feetSan Francisco, California
July 1864		Wrecked
September 1874
RettaStern36 feet6 feetYuma, Arizona
1900		Sunk
Feburary, 1905
St. VallierStern9274 feet17 feetNeedles, California
Early 1899		Sunk
March 1909
San JorgeScrew38 feet9 feetYuma, Arizona
June 1901		To Gulf
July 1901
SearchlightStern9891 feet18feetNeedles, California
December 1902		Lost
October 1916
Uncle SamSide4065 feet16 feetEstuary, Mexico
November 1852		Sunk
May 1853
UndineStern60 feet10 feetGreen River, Utah
November 1901		Wrecked
May 1902
Steamboats on the Colorado River 1852-1916 – Appendix A

Resources

Searchlight Nevada

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Searchlight Nevada is a unincorporated town with a history in mining. The small town in Clark County is located south of Las Vegas in Clark County, Nevada and honored with Nevada State Historic Marker number one hundred and sixteen. The Nevada Start Historic Marker is located on the west side of the highway as you enter town.

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.

Main Street of Searchlight, Nevada
Main Street of Searchlight, Nevada

The town is founded after George Frederick Cook prospected the area beginning May 6th, 1897. It is said that he would take a searchlight to find gold in the area, lending the town its name. Following the discovery of gold, the area boomed, which caused its population to raise. At the time, the mining town was part of Lincoln County, and for a time its population was larger than that of Las Vegas. When Clark County is created the town was briefly considered to be the county seat.

Between 1907 and 1910, the gold mines of Searchlight produced $7 million dollars in gold and boasted a population of 1,500. Ore is shipped to Barnwell via the Barnwell and Searchlight rail service. In order to reduce costs, the Quartette company constructed a twenty-stamp mill on the Colorado River. The new mill utilized a 15 mile narrow gauge rail is constructed down to the mill in an attempt to further reduce costs. The rail is completed in 1902. Several tent saloons are erected during this time and named Cyrus Noble, Old Bottle and the Little Brown Jug.

Quartette Mill, Searchlight, Nevada
Quartette Mill, Searchlight, Nevada

Later in 1903, enough water is is on hand in town to support a second twenty-stamp mill. The onsite mills capacity is further increased in 1906 when the Colorado Mill is closed and relocate near town.

During its peak in 1907, Searchlight boasts well-furnished stores, about a dozen saloons, telephone exchange, forty four mines and several mills. The Chamber of Commerce advertised some 5,000 people living in the little haven. Searchlight’s decline began in 1917.

Today, the town is home to about 500 people. Its location on the 95 highway offers a rest spot for travelers between Las Vegas and various Colorado River how spots, including Lake Mojave, Laughlin NV, Bullhead City and Havasu. The small community is home to a few small casinos, gas and food. Senator Majority Harry Leader Harry Reid is perhaps the towns most notable citizen. Harry Ried proudly raised the American Flag over his property, when he was home which was visible from the highway.

Nevada State Historic Marker Text

Initial discoveries of predominately gold ore were first made at this location on May 6, 1897.  G.F. Colton filed the first claim, later to become the Duplex Mine.  The Quartette Mining Company, formed in 1900, became the mainstay of the Searchlight district, producing almost half of the area’s total output.  In May 1902, a 16 mile narrow-gauge railroad was built down the hill to the company’s mill on the Colorado River.

On March 31, 1907, the 23.22 mile Barnwell and Searchlight Railroad connected the town with the then main Santa Fe line from Needles to Mojave.  By 1919 trains travelled over the B. and S. Railroad only twice a week.  A severe washout on September 23, 1923, halted traffic completely.  Train service was never restored.

Searchlight is the birthplace of U.S. Senator Harry Reid (b.1939) who became the first Nevadan to serve as the Senate Majority Leader, a position he assumed in 2007.

STATE HISTORICAL MARKER No. 116
STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE

Nevada State Historic Marker Map

Town Summary

NameSearchlight, Nevada
LocationClark County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude35.4744, -114.9307
Nevada State Historic Marker116
GNIS0845654
Populationup to 5,000
Elevation3,547 ft (1,081 m)
News PaperSearchlight Bulletin Jan 1, 1903 – Jan 3, 1913

References

Willow Beach Campground

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Willow Beach Campground is a full service campground located near the eastern shore of the Colorado River, in Mohave County Arizona. Willow Beach is a small boat ramp on the Arizona side of the Colorado. The boat ramp allows launches into the river and access to Lake Mohave, downstream and Hoover Damn looms very large up river.

Willow Beach is a wonderful location to participate in all water sports or just sit by the Colorado River and have a picnic. The location offers a great access points and offers some scenic views of Black Canyon gorge. The campground is located slightly above the river and does offer River views.

The Hoover Damn Bypass Bridge viewed from the Colorado River is accessible from Willow Beach
The Hoover Damn Bypass Bridge viewed from the Colorado River

The campgrounds offers year round enjoyment to the area. The area is known for extreme hot temperatures so be prepared! One trip canoeing below Hoover Damn to Willow Beach we pulled the canoes from the river at 121 F.

Campground Summary

NameWillow Beach Campground
LocationColorado River, Mohave County, Arizona
Longitude, Latitude35.87338834278191, -114.65113899560673
Elevation855
Sites66, 38 RV / Trailer, 37 Campsites
AmenitiesBBQ Grills, Campground Host, Campsite Tables, Drinking Water, Electrical Hookup, Fire Pit, Firewood Available, Rentals, Restrooms (Flush Toilets), RV Hookups, Showers, Vending Machines, WiFi

Willow Beach Campground Map

References