Nevada Historical Marker #94
The Winters Ranch Rancho Del Sierra. This large Gothic-style structure, completed about 1864, was the ranch home of Theodore and Maggie Winters and their seven children. Originally this area was settled by Mormons, and the ranch was purchased from Mormons by Winters and his brother, from the proceeds of the Comstock. Theodore Winters immediately set out to enlarge his property, and built the present mansion. The ranch, at one time, consisted of around 6,000 acres.Winters raised outstanding race horses. He also had a large dairy operation and raised beef cattle, work horses, and sheep.Theodore Winters was active in politics and was elected as a territorial representative in 1862.
Carson-Reno Highway, Washoe Valley, NV, United States
Nevada Historical Marker #95
Battle Mountain. Battle Mountain’s name derives from the mountain range to the southwest where in the 1850s some California emigrants were allegedly ambushed by a band of Native Americans.As a town, Battle Mountain sprung into existence in January 1870. In October 1868, the railroad established the Reese River siding here, and made Argenta, five miles eastward, its principle station and point of departure for the busy mining camps to the south. However, early in 1870, the station at Argenta was moved to this location, and the Reese River siding was renamed Battle Mountain Switch. Stage and freight roads north and south teemed with “mud wagon” stages and massive freight wagons.From 1880 to 1938, Battle Mountain was the operating headquarters for the Central Nevada Railway, as well as the Battle Mountain and Lewis Railroad from 1881 to 1890. The town’s first copper boom developed in 1897, in the Galena (Battle Mountain) range. Battle Mountain steadily outgrew the mining town of Austin to the south, until voters moved the county seat here in 1979.
Front Street, Battle 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
Nevada Historical Marker #97
Manhattan “The Pine Tree Camp”. The Manhattan Mining District northeast of here was first organized in 1867. The place name persisted in local use and was adopted in 1905, when John Humphrey found gold at the foot of April Fool Hill near the old stage route. A typical boom followed. A post office opened late in 1905 and the camp soon had a telegraph, and telephones, utilities, and businesses. Transport was to Tonopah and the railroad at Sodaville.The 1906 earthquake halted mining investment. As a result, most of the productive work here was done by lessees. The gold strikes were in ore and placer deposits, and by 1909, there were thirteen mines and sixteen placers. Some of the operations were the big four: Litigation Hill Merger, Stray Dog, September Fraction, and White Caps. Hydraulic placering started in 1909. In 1938, dredging began and continued for thirteen years. Over $10,000,000 was produced.
NV-376, Manhattan, NV, United States
Nevada Historical Marker #98
Osceola 1872 1940. Osceola, most famous of the White Pine County gold producers, was one of the longest-lived placer camps in Nevada.The gold-bearing quartz belt found in 1872 was 12 miles long by 7 miles wide. Placer gold was found in 1877 in a deep ravine indenting the area. Miners first used the simple process of the common 49” rocker. Hydraulic monitors later were used to mine the gold from the 10’ to 200’ thick gravel beds. One gold nugget found was valued at $6,000.Osceola was a good business town because of its location near the cattle and grain ranches and gardens in the Spring and Snake Valleys.Famous district mines were the Cumberland, Osceola, Crescent and Eagle, Verde, Stem-Winder, Guilded Age, Grandfather Snide, Red Monster, and the Saturday Night.The camp produced nearly $5 million, primarily in gold, with some silver, lead, and tungsten.
US-50/White Pine County Rd 39, Ely, NV, United States
Nevada Historical Marker #99
Taylor. Silver and gold were discovered by Taylor and John Platt in 1873 in what was to become Taylor, a typical mining community supported chiefly by the Argus and Monitor Mines. In seven years, the town boasted a population of 15,000 people, seven saloons, three general stores, an opera house, a Wells Fargo office, and other businesses. By 1886, Taylor was the center of county activity, a social highlight being the annual 4th of July celebration.Mining continued intermittently until 1919. At that time, a 100 ton cyanide plant at the ArgusMine gave the area new life, but production declined when the price of silver plummeted. World War II renewed mining activity temporarily. Local mines yielded more than $3 million in silver, gold, copper, and lead.
Great Basin Highway, Ely, NV, United States