Nevada Historical Marker #64
Ophir. Well up into the canyon above, the massive stone foundations of a costly and splendid stamp mill as well as the stone walls of an elegant office and mansion are visible. This is the site of Ophir, now a ghost town.In 1863, S. Boulerond discovered ore at Ophir. In 1864, the Murphy Mine opened and became the leading local producer. In 1865, a 20-stamp mill was completed costing over $200,000. This included the first experimental Stetefeldt furnace ever built. When the Murphy Mill was built, the town of Toiyabe City was established, growing to a population of 400. Through poor management, the work in the mines declined in 1869. Ophir was almost deserted. In the 1880s, the mines were reactivated, and Ophir had another period of prosperity. By the 1890s, the town was deserted but some mining activity at the Murphy Mine continued sporadically into the 20th century.More than $3,000,000 worth of gold and silver were mined from the Murphy vein and from surrounding properties. Iron, copper and arsenic were also found in the area.Ophir managed to have all the accouterments of a large community, including a school, a church, various lodges, and, of course, several saloons.
Tonopah-Austin Rd, Round Mountain, NV, United States
Nevada Historical Marker #96
Round Mountain. One of the early-1900s gold camps, Round Mountain, was distinct for a variety of reasons. First, it was productive for more than 60 years. However, there were other aspects of Round Mountain that also set it apart.Gold occurred here in free, visible, metallic form. Many small, high-grade veins were easily mined with hand tools while larger, lower-grade veins provided ore for milling plants. Placer gold occurred in economically recoverable amounts in the peripheral gravels at the base of the mountain, which were first dry washed. Water piped across the valley floor from two mountain creeks helped recover the gold from the gravels by hydraulic mining for ten years. Still later, heavy equipment was used to mine the deeper gravels. A significant benchmark in local history occurred in 1929 when early promoter and operator, Louis D. Gordon, consolidated the many claims into Nevada Porphyry Gold Mines, Inc.
Tonopah-Austin Rd, Round Mountain, NV, United States