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Aurum, Nevada facts for kids

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Aurum, Nevada
Aurum, Nevada is located in Nevada
Aurum, Nevada
Aurum, Nevada
Location in Nevada
Country United States
State Nevada
County White Pine
Elevation
7,159 ft (2,182 m)
GNIS feature ID 862317

Aurum is a ghost town in White Pine County, Nevada, United States. A ghost town is a place where people used to live and work, but now almost no one lives there. Aurum was once a busy mining town.

History of Aurum

Aurum started as a mining community in 1878. It was first called "Silver Canyon" because of a nearby canyon.

How Aurum Got Its Name

On April 4, 1881, a post office opened in the town. That's when the community officially got its current name, Aurum.

Life in Aurum

Aurum had two main parts, based on how high up they were.

  • The higher part was called "Doughburg." This area had boarding houses where miners lived.
  • The lower part had homes, shops, and the post office.

The Silver Canyon Avalanche

On February 11, 1884, a big avalanche happened in Silver Canyon. It struck near the Sadie L Mine's boarding house. Three people died in this event. Two of them, H. W. Mickel and Wallace McCrimmon, were buried in Aurum. The third person, John Fox, was buried in Cherry Creek.

Boom and Bust Cycles

Over the years, Aurum went through many "boom and bust" periods.

  • During a "boom," the town grew very fast. Hundreds of people would move there.
  • During a "bust," miners would leave, shops would close, and the number of people would drop quickly.

At one point during a "bust," only one person lived in Aurum! His name was Simon Davis. Eventually, all the mining in the area stopped for good. The post office closed for the last time on May 31, 1938. Since then, no one has lived in Aurum.

Notable People

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