Gold Center, Nevada facts for kids
Imagine a busy town in the desert, full of people hoping to find gold! That was Gold Center, a mining town in Nye County, Nevada. It was started in December 1904. A post office opened there in January 1905, and the town even had its own newspaper by 1907.
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Gold Center: A Desert Town's Story
Gold Center was a special place because of where it was located. It was part of the Bullfrog Mining District, an area known for its gold mines. The town was built right on the main stagecoach route that connected other important towns like Rhyolite and Beatty.
Why Location Was Key
Being near the Amargosa River was a huge advantage for Gold Center. This meant there was enough water for everyone to drink. It also provided water for two mills, which were used to process the gold ore, and an ice house. Gold Center even sold water to nearby towns like Rhyolite and Carrara.
A Hub for Transportation
Gold Center was also a busy spot for trains! Three different railroads passed through the town: the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad, the Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad, and the Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad. This made it easy to bring supplies in and send gold out.
Unique Features of Gold Center
This desert town had some interesting features. It was home to the very first brewery in the area. This brewery was built underground to keep the drinks cool in the desert heat.
What's Left of Gold Center Today?
Today, Gold Center is mostly a ghost town. Not much is left of the original buildings. You can still see the foundations of a stamp mill, which was a machine used to crush rocks and find gold. There are also footers from a tank at a cyanide plant, which was used in the gold extraction process. You might also find parts of the old water line that ran between Gold Center and Carrara. Even though it's a ghost town, what's left of Gold Center now sits along a paved road that connects U.S. Highway 95 to Beatty's airport.
