Argenta, Nevada facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Argenta, Nevada
Ghost town
Argenta, Nevada Location in Nevada Show map of Nevada Argenta, Nevada Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Nevada
County	Lander
Elevation	4,593 ft (1,400 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	0
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)

Argenta is a ghost town located in Lander County, Nevada, in the United States. A ghost town is a place where people used to live, but now it's mostly empty.

History of Argenta

• In 1866, people discovered silver in the area.
• A small camp was quickly built, and a town started to grow.
• Argenta opened its own post office in December 1868.
• The town became a shipping point for nearby Austin, Nevada.
• People in Argenta hoped their town would become a major railroad center for Lander County.

Why Argenta Became a Ghost Town

• However, another town, Battle Mountain, Nevada, became more important.
• Battle Mountain was closer to Austin and also near Galena.
• The people of Argenta soon realized their town's future was not bright.
• In December 1870, many residents packed up and moved to Battle Mountain.
• This is how Argenta became a ghost town.
• The post office name was officially changed from Argenta to Battle Mountain on February 24, 1874.

Later Discoveries in Argenta

• Argenta remained quiet until 1930.
• That year, a mineral called barite was found in Argenta Mountain.
• From 1930 to 1969, over $3 million worth of barite was mined here.
• The mine continued to operate until 2015.
• It was then closed by its owner, Baker Hughes.