Poeville, Nevada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Poeville
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| Nickname(s):
Poe City, Podunk
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Location of Poeville, Nevada
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| Country | United States |
| State | Nevada |
| County | Washoe |
| Elevation | 6,391 ft (1,948 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 0 |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
89506
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| Area code(s) | 775 |
Poeville, also known as Peavine until 1863, was once a busy mining town in Nevada. It was founded in 1864 after a man named John Poe found valuable gold and silver nearby. Today, Poeville is a ghost town, meaning no one lives there anymore. It's a reminder of Nevada's exciting mining past.
Contents
The Story of Poeville
How Poeville Started
Back in 1862, a prospector named John Poe discovered rich veins of gold and silver on Peavine Mountain. John Poe was a professional promoter from Michigan. Some even said he was related to the famous writer Edgar Allan Poe!
Poe was very excited about his discovery. He announced that his find was just like the famous Comstock Lode, which was a huge silver discovery in Nevada. He even showed off some of the ore at the state fair in 1864, claiming it was very rich.
A Town Grows and Shrinks
Because of Poe's claims, a mining camp quickly grew. It was first called Poe City or Poedunk, but later became Poeville. By 1864, about 200 people lived there. The town kept growing, and by 1873-1874, it had several hundred residents. Poeville even had three hotels and its own post office. The post office was open from September 1, 1874, to March 24, 1878.
However, mining in Poeville faced big challenges. The ore had a lot of sulfur, which made it hard to process with the old technology they had. Also, there wasn't much water in the area.
The Decline of Poeville
Things got a little better in 1866. Miners started sending the ore by wagon to Cisco, California. Later, when the Central Pacific Railroad was finished, they could send it by train all the way to Sacramento, California.
But there was another problem: the ore didn't have much gold. It was mostly copper, which wasn't as valuable. Because of this, mining slowed down very quickly. By the late 1870s, it stopped completely. By 1880, only 15 people were left in Poeville. Today, you can't see anything left of the old town.
Where Was Poeville?
Poeville was located on a flat area near Peavine Road. You would find it where the road makes a sharp turn, going up a switchback. This is according to the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology.
The Golden Fleece Mine
One important mine in the area was called the Golden Fleece Mine. It was run by the Golden Fleece Gold & Silver Mining Company. This company was started on February 2, 1875. They owned one special mining claim at the site. A report from 1879 by W. F. Stewart said that this mine had an eight-foot-wide vein of ore.
See also
In Spanish: Poeville (Nevada) para niños
