Mexicans discovered silver ore here in 1864 ... and this was pretty much the beginning of what was to be Candelaria, Spanish for "candle mass." The site of Candelaria has been under heavy surveillance over the past decade thanks to Kinross Mining Company which prohibits visitation to the old townsite. This is depressing, considering the long drive it takes to get here! Candelaria is situated in between Tonopah and Hawthorne on the very edge of Mineral County, and with it, an hour and a half drive from either community. Look for signs pointing to "Candelaria, Marietta" from US 95 about a 1/2 mile north of the Esmeralda County line. The road has been paved over the years to accommodate Kinross mining trucks. Don't forget to stop at the lone historic marker honoring this lonely camp on the way.
History
The dismal water supply here couldn't support any significant permanent population. Candelaria became what was known as a "dry camp." A larger spring in the next valley over, nine miles away, supplied water to Candelaria, but the costs for transporting it to the camp drove the price to the princely sum of one dollar per gallon. The nearby spring was only sufficient to supply the water needs of the town's populace and little to nothing could be spared for the use of milling and processing the ore from the mines. The stamp mill in Candelaria had to operate as a dry mill resulting in toxic dust that spread throughout the area. Consequently this dust settled in the lungs of the miners and caused many to die of "miners consumption."
Mexican prospectors first settled here on Christmas Day, 1864 and named the mine and town accordingly after the Catholic (Candlemass) Mass day. Unlike the typical rush, word of the find at Candelaria was slow to spread. Candelaria wasn't truly a town (or even a camp) until a group of European prospectors, mainly German and Slovakian, came into the area in 1879 and established a camp, which soon became a boomtown. Beginning in 1880, the big producer of the town was a mine called the Northern Belle that produced $15 million in silver. As the population grew, the beginnings of what became one of Candelaria's greatest difficulties became all too apparent.
Difficulties aside, Candelaria continued to flourish. By 1882, Candelaria boomed with a dependable water supply brought on by a pipeline that was built to the White Mountains. In its heyday Candelaria would boast of two hotels, five stores, three lawyer offices, three doctor offices, and over twenty five saloons. The completion of a spur of the Carson and Colorado Railroad in 1882 moved in large tanks of water and helped alleboaters the town's water problem. With the water shortage partially resolved, the town boomed for ten years, until the financial panic of 1893 dried up capital almost overnight. Sadly, development of the mines ceased almost immediately. Every mine was closed and soon the town was drained of people - many of whom moved on to other areas where work could be found under better conditions.
Even though a few die-hard souls remained, bigger finds and its desolate location all ensured that Candelaria never regained what it had once had. Occasional bursts of activity increased population here a bit, but mostly it was wildcat speculation, and the people left as quickly as they came. By the early 1920s the number of people living in the area could be counted on two hands. In 1939 the post office was finally shuttered and by 1941 Candelaria became a true ghost town. Candelaria has gone down in history as one of the inhospitable places in the state. Unbearably hot and dry in the summer, bitterly cold in the winter, wind-swept, dry and desolate: all definitions that described the lonely town of Candelaria.
The well-preserved doctor's office at Candelaria.
Absolutely no trespassing is allowed at the actual town site. However, the cemetery is open to the public.
Status: Mining Site/Ghost Town
<< Show on Map
How to Get Here: Almost immediately, visitors to Candelaria were turned away by security guards from the mine and signs were posted religiously along the road through the town stating that it was private property, and that trespassing was strictly prohibited. Unfortunately, this is the scene today. The entire townsite of Candelaria is dominated by Kinross Mining and security guards religiously enforce a "No Trespassing" policy on the town site.
Ironically, because of this oversight, Candelaria was spared much of the destruction suffered by other ghost towns, and even today the remains of many of its buildings are easily seen and recognizable. In fact, it's one of the best preserved ghost towns in the state, and it's a true shame the entire site is off-limits to the public. If you could somehow obtain permission to walk the old town, you would be rewarded to one of the finest ghost towns in Nevada. The only such part of Candelaria accessible to the public is the distinct cemetery that was somehow placed outside the confines of Kinross. Park here and enjoy, but don't be surprised if you are watched carefully.
Population: 43. This number reflects officials of Kinross Mining Company that currently reside at the camp.
Founded: December 25, 1864
A ghost town site and current mining operation in southern Mineral County, 55 miles south of Hawthorne.
- Much of Candelaria has remained somewhat undisturbed for many years thanks to its remote setting. Although not completely immune to vandalism, much of the damage to remaining buildings was a result of the area's harsh environment. Things changed in the mid to late 1980s when an open-pit mine was opened on the south side of Mt. Diablo. As the mine expanded, the town site of Candelaria came under close guardianship of the the mine's operators -- the Kinross Gold Mining Company.