Going from boom to bust in about a century might be a tall ask for some places. But not Goldfield, a “living ghost town” just three hours north of Las Vegas. Now a burg of about 225 residents, it used to be among the most prosperous towns in Nevada, vying for prominence with the state’s capital. A stock exchange, a hospital, three newspapers, a major railroad, and the “finest hotel between San Francisco and Denver” served some 20-30,000 people at the town’s height.
A series of unfortunate events, bad breaks, and poorly parked dynamite cars slowly eroded the town’s population and prestige over the century-plus between the first gold strike and where it sits today. If you’re looking to speed run your own ghost town creation, here are five tricks to get you started.
Establish a town whose future depends upon a finite resource (e.g., gold). After its founding in 1902, the town produced more than $86 million worth of precious metals at its height. It quickly petered out, and the local industry largely collapsed after 1910.
See it today: Tour Florence Mine, the largest historical mine in the area.
Unknowingly appoint morally dubious lawmen. Virgil Earp, the older brother of the infamous outlaw Wyatt Earp, served as the town’s sheriff in 1905, before dying one year into the job from pneumonia. He notably lied in his oath of office, swearing he never fought a duel. At that point, Goldfield was still very much a Wild West town — tombstones indicate many deaths from disease and violence.
See it today: Pay your respects to Earp’s townsmen and colleagues at Goldfield Cemetery.
Pro tip: Take a high-clearance car to visit the more remote Black cemetery.
Take up moonshine brewing as your ADHD hobby-of-the-month. While Prohibition was in full swing, a private, unattended liquor still caught fire in the early morning of July 6, 1923, and leveled the Main Street area (supposedly with the help of a dynamite-filled miner’s car, which subsequently exploded nearby and spread the flames). Two people died, 25 blocks were burned, and hundreds of residents got out of Dodge in the aftermath. A second fire in 1924 did in many of the remaining buildings.
See it today: Take a ghost tour of the Goldfield Hotel, which miraculously survived, or visit the still-active volunteer fire station.
Have your party town lunch eaten by your younger southern neighbor. The railroad, and its proximity to Los Angeles, made Las Vegas more accessible than ever in the 1940s. And though Goldfield had saloons and gambling halls, Las Vegas’ early casino resorts were a more attractive, glamorous option for out-of-towners with cash to burn.
See it today: Stay overnight and gamble at the Santa Fe Motel & Saloon.
Decide “It is what it is” and embrace your living ghost town cred. The Goldfield Historical Society and the town’s current residents do a phenomenal job of preserving Goldfield’s remaining buildings, many of which are from its early days, and the local historical documents on display.
See it today: Flip through old newspaper clippings and letters or grab a detailed walking tour map at the Esmeralda County Courthouse and start exploring!
