Alkali, Nevada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alkali, Nevada
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 Alkali, Nevada
Location in Nevada
Alkali, Nevada
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Nevada |
| County | Esmeralda County |
| Elevation | 5,000 ft (2,000 m) |
Alkali is a ghost town located in Esmeralda County, Nevada. A ghost town is a place where most people have left, often because a local industry ended. Alkali is known for its hot spring, which was a popular spa run by Geni and Joe Guisti in the 1930s.
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Alkali Hot Spring Spa
During the busiest times of Goldfield, the Alkali Hot Spring spa was a lively place. It had an indoor wooden swimming pool, with a special area just for kids. There was also a large building that held a dining room, a kitchen, a dance hall, and a bar.
Fun Times at the Spa
Outside the dining room, tall tamarisk trees provided shade. A big picnic table was available for visitors. Guests could order food from the dining room or bring their own lunches. The Guisti family lived right behind the dining room. Geni Guisti would serve grape juice over ice to young people at the bar. This was considered a very special treat! On Friday and Saturday nights, people from Tonopah would come to Alkali for dances.
The Hot Spring's Water
The hot spring's water first appeared as many small trickles. In the early 1900s, a mining company dug a 40-foot tunnel, called an adit, to collect all these trickles into one strong flow. At that time, the water was pumped about 10 miles (16 km) to the Combination Mill in Goldfield.
Spring Details
The water at the entrance of the adit was very hot, about 140 °F (60 °C). A person who lived in Goldfield said that the spring's source is under an old, unused powerhouse. The spring water is believed to contain lithium, a type of metal. However, the surface of the nearby dry lakebed, called Alkali Flat (or Alkali Lake), does not have lithium.
Modern Use of the Spring
In 2018, a company named RAM Power had permits to use the heat from the earth (geothermal energy) near Alkali Hot Spring. This shows that the area's natural resources are still important today.
