Heading for Home, California

You never know what you are going to see along the road

We were able to meet up with Barry from high school for lunch at Holy Smoke BBQ as we passed through Bishop.  He and Sandy were in Bishop for the upcoming Mule Days.

Dave happened to have on his Corinth, Mississippi t-shirt.  Another patron noticed it and came over to talk to us.  He had recently moved to California from Olive Branch, MS.  He was surprised to see a Corinth t-shirt in Bishop, California.


Spent Memorial weekend in Hemet for a square dance weekend.

Dinner at Steer n Stein 

Dinner at Sweet Baby Jane's BBQ

We have enjoyed visiting Forgotten Nevada chasing down old Mining sites and Ghost towns.

We visited 93 sites plus numerous other interesting places.

We were gone 52 nights

Took 6,661 pictures

Drove only 1,866 Motorhome miles

and  4,096 Jeep miles

We found the ...

Cheapest gas in Beatty, NV for  $3.05 on 04-10-19

Highest priced gas in Middlegate, NV for $3.99 on 05-18-19

Cheapest diesel in Beatty, NV for $3.03 on 04-12-19

Highest priced diesel in Ft Independence, CA for $3.97 on 05-20-19

Gregg, few people have the privilege of having such a supportive and giving neighbor. We are beyond lucky to have you. We appreciate you so much.

Mines, Mills, Sites and Ghost town visited
Kearsage Site - Clifford Mine - Betty Jumbo Mine - Leadfield Mine - California
Leeland Mine - Ashton Mine - Carrara Site - Gold Center Site - Rhyolite Site 
Bullfrog Mine - Gold Bar Mine - Pioneer Mine - Gold Point Mine - State Line Mine 
Lida Site - Palmetto Site - Klondike Mine - Alkali Site - Blair Site - Nivloc Mine
Weepah Mine - Montezuma Mine - Millers Site - Last Hope Mine - Gilbert Mine
Belmont Site - Manhattan Site - Gold Arrow Mine - Silver Bow Mine - Warm Springs Site

Tybo Site - Gilman Mine - Ward Charcoal Kilns - Ward Mine - Taylor Mine Shaft

Noname Mine - Black Horse - Osceloa Site - Dry Gulch Pilot Knob Mine

Cherry Creek Site - Star Mine - Exchequer Mine - Ada Mine - Standard Mine

Sprucemont Mill Site - Metropolis Site - Wilkins Site - Palisade Site - Union Mine

Dinner Station Site - Rio Tinto Site - Patsville Site - Tuscarora Site - Queen - Jack Creek Site

Cortez Mine - Silver Sides Mine - Little Chief Mine - Betty O’Neal Mine - Lewis Site

Cane Creek Mine - Jumbo Mine - Daveytown Site - Alabama Mine - Awakening Mine

Tenmile Mine - Vernado Site - Pronto Site - Jungo Site - Haystack Mine - Willow Creek Mines

Bonanza King Mine - Dry Gulch Mine - Cinnabar City Mine - Unionville Site - Star City Site

Queen of Sheba Mine - Spring Valley AKA Fitting Site - Upper Rochester Site

Lower Rochester Site - Dun Glen Mine - Auld Lang Syne Mine - Auburn Mine - Stonehouse Site

Downeyville Lead Mine - Craig Station Site - Quartz Mountain Mine - Exchequer Mine (#2) 

Broken Hills Mine - Middlegate Station Site - Belleville Site - Candelaria Mine 

Mina, Belleville Mill, Candelaria Mine, Nevada

Mina
Mina was founded as a railroad town in 1905.  The railroad is long gone, but at one time a local shuttle called the "Slim Princess" allowed Native Americans to ride free of charge atop the railcars, and passengers and crew would shoot wild game from open windows. The train moved slowly enough that hunters were able to retrieve their game and reboard.

Belleville
Belleville was founded in 1872 with the construction of a twenty-stamp mill to serve the Northern Belle Mine at Candelaria. Another twenty-stamper was constructed a few years later.  Its first bullion bar shipment of $9,200 was made in April 1875. The town was famed for a "Wild West" atmosphere. Murders, drunken brawls, and practical jokes were commonplace. When the Carson and Colorado Railroad reached the town in 1882 its population was 500, and the town was served by a doctor, assay office, express office, telegraph station, livery stable, school, two hotels, restaurants, and blacksmith shops as well as by seven saloons.  With water being piped to Candelaria this allowed the ore to be milled nearer the mine, and Belleville was deserted by 1892.

Rock lined underground culvert

The mill ruins have a medieval-look. The curved stone walls seem unusual.

Candelaria

Beginning in 1880 the area began to prosper.  The big producer was a mine called the Northern Belle that produced $15 million in silver. But there was no water. Water was transported from a spring nine miles away and cost a dollar a gallon. Whiskey was less expensive. Even the stampmill operated without water creating an atmosphere of dust, which settled in the lungs of the miners, causing many to die of "miners consumption."  In 1882 a good water supply and a spur of the Carson & Colorado railroad came to the camp. In its heyday, Candelaria could boast of two hotels, stores, lawyers, three doctors and countless saloons. The financial panic of 1893 caused many mines to close down. Most of the people deserted the town but a few remained. The following seven years proved difficult for the remaining citizens—now a dry, wind swept, desolate place, bitterly cold in winter and unbearably hot and dry in summer. But still some remained hoping beyond hope for a recovery that never came. 

Our time was cut short here.  It was cold, windy and hailing.

Middlegate Station, Downeyville, Craig Station, Quartz Mtn Mine, Broken Hills Mine, Exchequer Mine

We found a nice out of the way place along Hwy 361, halfway between Middlegate and Gabbs to overnight

Downeyville Mine

The town received its name from the four Downey brothers who discovered rich silver and lead deposits a short distance from Ellsworth. The discovery drew many people from Ellsworth and by 1878 the town had a population of more than 200. A number of substantial buildings were erected including stores, saloons, a Wells Fargo office, and stage line offices. Downeyville thrived for quite a while as ore from its mines was shipped to mills in Austin and elsewhere. In time a smelter was built and was one of the first true lead smelters in the state. The main mine in the district was the Downeyville mine. During its production years from 1878 to 1901 the mine is said to have produced from $7 million to $12 million worth of silver and lead. The post office closed in October 1901. 

This shaft had no fence around it, but we felt it was by far the deepest we have come across.  Of course that was using our scientific way of measuring by throwing a rock in and counting.

Craig Station

Craig Station was established in the early 1860's as a stop on the Ellsworth road. I was trying to imagine how difficult it would have been to pull a loaded wagon up this road to Ellsworth.  It seems like this location would be a welcome stop.

We didn't make it all the way to Ellsworth due to the recent rains and snow.

Quartz Mountain Mine

Discoveries weren't made here until 1920 which was late in Nevada mining history.  With the real work beginning about five years later.  The activity even helped revive nearby Broken Hills Mine. By this time in history, the automobile had come into regular use, so many miners used them to get to work, and it was trucks instead of wagons that did much of the freight hauling.

Come on people there is no trash service.  Take your trash with you.

Exchequer Mine
This is our second Exchequer Mine on this trip.

Broken Hills Mine 

Broken Hills Mine was in operation from about 1913 to 1920.  The town never really boomed. The town was active once again in 1926 after discoveries in nearby Quartz Mountain.  Like Quartz Mountain, water had to be delivered from the Lodi Valley, some 10 miles away, and the ores mined here were mostly of the lead-silver variety. Ore was shipped 12 miles to Bruner's 50 ton mill to be worked. 

Matt Costello
1866-1926
Matt was an prospector who lived a life of poverty until he struck a promising claim and and sold it for $1500. Matt  had many plans on what to do with his new riches. When his friends did not see him for a few days they went looking for him. He was found dead, sitting at his table in his cabin. He was buried by his friends near the cabin although nothing remains of the cabin today.

Middlegate Station

This tiny little town and rest stop was named after the gate-like mountains surrounding the stop. With the east being eastgate, the west being westgate, of course the town must logically be called Middlegate, and so it was. Used as an active station, the Pony Express contracted the location to change horses along their route. While the Pony Express operation was short lived, Middlegate Station continued to operate as a stage and freight station until the early 1900's. Before long, the Lincoln Highway-the first paved highway across America-popped up in front of the Station, making it a convenient stop for travelers along the way.  

The only place for miles to get gas.

Rerouting of the highway in 1960 took a lot of traffic away from the Middlegate stop, but today travelers along the notorious Loneliest Road in America frequent the stop and try their hand at the Middlegate Monster burger challenge, this is most certainly a Nevada Bucket-List item!

He's about to take on the challenge

FYI - He didn't complete the challenge.  He left with a doggie bag. 

We stuck with standard size burgers.