Nevada Ghost Towns & Beyond

Outside of Mesquite, Nevada, on the top of Mormon Mesa, flies a lone Scottish flag topping a white cross. A rock-covered grave is at the memorial's base; the headstone reads "Davidson." Why were the father, mother and son buried alongside the wagon road, miles from any settlement? Today, the site is only miles off the busy I-15. In 1869, it was over thirty miles from the nearest town. The ... VIEW POST

Fifty miles north of Gerlach is one of the prettiest abandoned ranches in Nevada. Denio Camp is as picture-perfect as a painting, alongside a pond set in a wildflower field. The peaceful setting belies its role in the Battle of Kelly Creek, also known as "Nevada's Last Indian War." Amazingly, a series of photos depicts Denio Camp and the massacres. I love it when I uncover little historical ... VIEW POST

Do you know where the phrase "Mad as a Hatter" evolved? Nevada may be known as the Silver State and produces 73% of the United States gold, but it is rich in other mining, including mercury. Native Americans used cinnabar (mercury sulfide) as a dye. Mercury mining started in the mid-1850s but boomed in the early 1900s through World War II. I was thinking about what to focus on, and I ... VIEW POST

A lone grave marks the dusty Smoke Creek Desert north of Sheepshead. It reads: Ed Laird Murdered at this Site. Who was Ed Laird, how did he end up in this desolate location, and who murdered him? Woven with this story are tales of the attempted strychnine poisoning of five men, a double murder, and reports of cattle rustling and horse thievery. The final mystery is the headstone itself; who ... VIEW POST

Are you heading up Highway 395 from Reno, Nevada, to Lakeview, Oregon? You may be exploring beautiful southeast Oregon. Or you could be headed to Lakeview to hang out with Clint and Heidi Smith and Jack at Thunder Ranch, my other happy place. Over the last few years of visiting and documenting ghost towns and historical sites, I found so much to explore off Highway 395. Below is a compilation ... VIEW POST