[155]       

Silver Peak (Discovered in 1863)

Esmeralda County
  38.0184, -117.77614

"(#155) It's hard to imagine anybody making a living out here. But they did ... and that's exactly what I'm here to capture. Gazing out into this open space, I find myself in realization that I am not just among the space. I am a part of it. All ... 102 degrees of it." -- Journal Entry, July 2008

Along US 6/95 at Blair Junction (SR 265), 59 miles west of Tonopah

Original Date Visited: 7/14/08

Signed: Both lanes of US 6/95

Notes: Please know that this region is one of the most inhospitable in Nevada and this dubious location in particular is far away from almost everything. Please keep all the regular precautions stored in the back of your mind. Stand and take a break at this turnout for just a few minutes and you'll know what I mean!

  • Wide open spaces at Marker 155
  • Marker 155 plaque

Exact Description:
Silver Peak is one of the oldest mining areas in Nevada. A 10-stamp mill was built in 1865, and by 1867 a 20-stamp mill was built. Mining camp lawlessness prevailed during the late sixties, and over the next 38 years, Silver Peak had its ups and downs. In 1906, the Pittsburg Silver Peak Gold Mining Company bought a group of properties, constructed the Silver Peak Railroad and built a 100-stamp mill at Blair the following year.

The town, at times, was one of the leading camps of Nevada, but by 1917 it had all but disappeared. The town burned in 1948, and little happened until the Foote Mineral Company began its extraction of lithium from under the floor of Clayton Valley.

Next Marker:

GOLD POINT

Related Links & Markers:

 [174] -- Blair   Glorified Ghost Towns, Silver Peak (Nevada Magazine) 

      Silver Peak

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