Nevada is chock full of ghost towns. Whereas some—like Rhyolite, Pioche, and Austin—are more well-known, there are so many others of which many people have never heard. Tuscarora is one of these. Located in Elko County, this remote Nevada ghost town is just off Highway 11 on the east side of Mount Blitzen, approximately 50 miles northwest of Elko. Even though a few residents remain, the town is classified as a ghost town—the most remote Nevada ghost town—and as you roam through the mostly vacant town, you can enjoy a haunting piece of the Silver State’s past.
Tuscarora was founded in 1867 when placer gold was discovered in the area.
Famartin/Wikimedia Commons
Brothers John and Steven Beard heard from a trader in Austin, Nevada, that there was gold up north. The town was named after a Civil War Union gunboat that was, actually, named after an eastern Indian tribe.
Famartin/Wikimedia Commons
The Beard brothers leased their first claim to the Chinese who ended up removing close to $3 million ($60 million today) in gold nuggets, flakes, and dust. Pictured: Main Street.
Mike G./Flickr
By 1872, Tuscarosa had blossomed into a typical Western mining camp.
Harvey & Marie Sanborn/Flickr
By 1878, Tuscarosa had three producing mines: the Young American (gold), Navajo (gold and silver), and Grand Prize (silver), and the population had risen to over 3,300 fortune seekers. The town contained two hotels, two boarding houses, general stores, saloons, a drug store, many houses, and several mills to process the ore.
Mike G./Flickr
However, a brutal winter that year and the closure of some mines forced many people to leave, and by 1880, Tuscarosa’s population was minimal.
Mike G./Flickr
Tuscarosa enjoyed small bursts of mining activity in the years since.
Mike G./Flickr
In 1969, Julie and Dennis Parks opened a pottery school - Tuscarosa Retreat - and just a few years later became internationally acclaimed.
Mike G./Flickr
Wandering through the town, and especially the cemetery, you can’t help but feel the presence of those who died in the small town and hear their whispers on the wind.
Mike G./Flickr
Today, Tuscarosa has a reliable water supply, television, and electricity; however, those who live in the quaint town also boast they have fresh air, clear sky, solitude, and a sense of personal liberty not typically available in larger cities.
Mike G./Flickr
This remote Nevada ghost town is but another piece in the Silver State’s storied mining history.
Famartin/Wikimedia Commons
Mike G./Flickr
Harvey & Marie Sanborn/Flickr
Have you visited this quaint ghost town? Please share your experiences below.
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