Ghosttowning
While visiting Marietta and Candelaria with friends, I noticed a lone stone structure sitting half a mile off the road. Unfortunately, we were exhausted, overheated after 98 degrees at Marietta, and ran out of sunlight, so we decided not to explore. I made a note to myself to visit on my return trip home. Despite crazy winds sandblasting my face, I hiked through the desert sands to the building.
Oasis in the Desert
In 1931 C.E. “Sully” Sullivan of Hawthorne began constructing a “modern tourist camp” east of Rhodes. He situated the camp ten miles south of Mina on the Mt. Montgomery Highway close to Tonopah Junction.
Sully claimed the resort would be an “Oasis in the desert.”
He planned the resort to contain eight bungalows and one restroom. The “restroom” included plans for a fireplace, making me think it was a community or recreation room, not what we would consider a modern restroom.
The structure was constructed of native Nevada stone, and completion was targeted for late summer of the same year. Sully resolved water issues by placing a pump over a natural well.
Unfortunately, vandals have chosen to “improve” the natural character of Nevada rockwork with a custom paint job. I can’t understand why they would go to the trouble to deface Nevada’s history.
Another Nevada mystery
One of the few pieces of information about Sully’s Tourist Camp is a newspaper cutout from May 1931. It is unknown if tourists enjoyed the desert oasis or if Sully’s faded into the Nevada desert before it even began.
If you have information about Sully’s, please let me know, I would love to finish the story.
References
- Nevada Expeditions: Rhodes
- Paher, Stanley. Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps. Nevada Publications, 1970. Page 443.
- Silver, Sue. Mineral County, Nevada: Volume 5, Roads and Routes of the Past. Museum Associates of Mineral County, 2012. Pages 47, 130.
- Wikipedia: Rhodes, Nevada
Tim Messick says
Tami, thank you for your research and blog post on Sully’s Tourist Camp! I visited recently to look at the stone ruin and to botanize the adjacent dunes. Without your post I would have assumed this was part of the old railway station. I’ve blogged on my visit (https://bodiehillsplants.com/2021/09/06/botanizing-tonopah-junction/) and credited your post with the information on Sullys.
Cheers,
Tim
Tami says
Thank you, I’m glad you located my article. It took me a while to find the name of the rock structure. I wish there was more information about Tourist Camp, or better yet, more pictures. Maybe someday I’ll come across more information. Your article is very interesting. More than once I have been at a site and photographed plants wondering what they are. I have an app but it only works with internet so usually I come home and ask the gardening group. Enjoy your travels. Tami
Paul says
I’m really enjoying your information. I always enjoy learning more about our state. If you had a YouTube channel I would add it to my list, Matt’s off-road and all those people. I think you would do well. I also have a couple gems in the desert that I can’t find any information on. Technically they’re in California, but Mojave desert history none the less. Keep up the explorations and thanks for your efforts!
Tami says
People have asked about YouTube. I have debated the idea, but it is intimidating. I know me, and I would expect it to look professional, which would take a lot of effort. Maybe someday someone will sponsor a show on ghost towns, we have an excellent knowledge base with my friends.
BILL KULICK says
LOVED THE ARTICLE BILL KULICK INJOY READING YOUR WORK THANKS AGAIN BILL KULIUCK
Tami says
You are welcome!
Jay Powell says
Well this is going to send me on a search of my photo archives because I believe my wife and I stopped here many years ago and photographed this stone structure (I’m thinking maybe 20+ years ago) when we were on a trip in Nevada. What sounds familiar is the mention of it being close to Mina. I do remember that it just seemed to appear out of nowhere. When we were able to, we loved exploring old ghost towns in Nevada.
Tami says
If you find the old pics, I would love to see them.