While most Nevada visitors wouldn’t expect to find a castle sitting high above the mountaintops, they are in for a real treat when they visit the town of Austin. An unincorporated town of less than 300 residents, there is something magical hiding in plain sight. Combining the rich history of Nevada with an incredible story of architecture and perseverance, take a look at this hidden Nevada castle.
In the small, unincorporated town of Austin, Nevada sits a slice of hidden history that wouldn’t be found if you weren’t looking for it.
Flickr Ken Lund
Located on the “Loneliest Road in America”, you’ll happen across a stunning part of Nevada’s rich past that will make you want to pull over and explore.
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Stokes Castle sits high in the hilltops outside of Austin, with an alluring history worth delving into.
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While eerily familiar to an old watch tower, this unique three-story structure was built in the late 1800s, essentially as a summer residence for a mine developer named Anson Phelps Stokes.
Flickr Don Barrett
Stokes imagined the views from his summer home, perched high above the Reese River Valley, and dreamed of a residence nothing short of pure magic.
Flickr Travel Nevada
Modeled after a tower Stokes fell in love with during a trip to Italy, it’s no wonder this one-of-a-kind castle is unlike any other architecture around.
Flickr Jessie
Stokes intended to build the castle with a fireplace on each floor, plate glass windows throughout, and a balcony on the upper two levels.
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During the mining boom, the Stokes family occupied the castle for only a month, before Stokes sold his mine, the equipment, and the castle, never again to return to the town of Austin.
Flickr Jessie
Eventually the Stokes Castle was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, standing as a place to pay homage to the men who sacrificed their lives in the mines during those years.
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While the castle has unfortunately fallen apart, it is still worth visiting in order to admire the architecture, the magical views of the area below and of course, to pay respects to the mining industry that so helped Nevada become what it is today.
Flickr Travel Nevada
If you’re itching to visit Stokes Castle, then you’ll need to head on into Austin, Nevada in the central part of the state. This wonderful piece of Nevada’s history is worth a gander passing through. Otherwise, if you’re interested in other unique hidden gems in Nevada, then take a look at The Highest Road In Nevada Will Lead You On An Unforgettable Journey.
Flickr Ken Lund
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Flickr Travel Nevada
Flickr Don Barrett
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