NEVADA GHOST TOWNS & BEYOND

John M. Moore operated a toll road along the South Fork of the American River on the west side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The pass connected Hangtown (Placerville) and Lake Bigler (Tahoe) and was part of the California Emigrant Trail. From the 1850s through 1860s the road and stage stop was used by the Pioneer Stage Company. Pony Express 2 cent Stamp (Photo credit: National ... VIEW POST

Stations, trading posts and ranches developed along the Carson River in the early 1850s to serve emigrants on the California Trail's Carson Branch. After the discovery gold and silver ore in 1859, Carson City became a supply and processing center for Virginia City and the Comstock Lode. Ranching was a leading industry in Nevada and between 1889-90 surpassed mining. At the end of the mining ... VIEW POST

In the isolated eastern Sierra, the Wild, Wild West lived up to its name. Vigilante justice was a reality; within twenty-five miles, two men met their fate in twenty years at the end of a hangman's noose. Today you can visit the site of both lynchings, Hangman's Bridge outside of Markeleeville and The Hanging Tree in Genoa, Nevada. The mild, mild west Despite Hollywood and depictions of the ... VIEW POST

I first visited the grave of Henry and John Jones on December 20, 2020, one day shy of 149 years after the boy's death. So the timing was fitting to tell their story, but I couldn't bring myself to write about it Christmas week. Often, people talk fondly about the "good old days." However, it's worth remembering that the "good old days" weren't always so. John James Jones Born March 21, ... VIEW POST

During the Silver Rush roads were very difficult and time consuming to construct, especially in mountainous areas around the Comstock Lode. Nevada Territory did not have the resources available to build and maintain the infrastructure. Between 1861 and 1864, Nevada awarded toll road franchises to individuals or groups who bid to construct roads. In return for their investment and continued ... VIEW POST