Cactus Springs, Nye County, Nevada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cactus Springs
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 Cactus Springs
Location in Nevada
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| Country | United States |
| State | Nevada |
| County | Nye |
| Founded | 1901 |
| Named for | Cactus and Spring |
Cactus Springs is a ghost town located in Nye County, Nevada. A ghost town is a place where most people have left, leaving behind empty buildings and a quiet history. Today, Cactus Springs is part of the Nellis Air Force Range, a large area used by the United States Air Force.
What is Cactus Springs?
Cactus Springs is a historic site in Nevada. It was once a small community that grew because of mining. Over time, as the mining stopped, people moved away, and it became a ghost town.
Early Discoveries
The story of Cactus Springs began in 1901. This was when people first found valuable turquoise on Cactus Peak. Turquoise is a beautiful blue-green gemstone.
A few years later, in 1904, silver was also discovered nearby. Silver is another precious metal that miners were very excited to find.
Life in Cactus Springs
By 1910, a company called the Lincoln Gold Mining Company had set up a small camp. They named this camp Camp Rockefeller. It was built close to where they were mining.
Life in Cactus Springs was likely focused on mining. People came to work in the mines, hoping to find riches. However, the community remained small. At its busiest, only about 50 people lived there.
Why Did People Leave?
Mining activity in the Cactus Range area ended by 1935. When the mines closed, there was no longer a reason for people to stay. The small camp slowly became empty, turning Cactus Springs into the ghost town it is today.
