Riepetown, Nevada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Riepetown, Nevada
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Riepetown, circa 1905
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 Riepetown, Nevada
Location in Nevada
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| Country | United States |
| State | Nevada |
| County | White Pine |
| Elevation | 7,100 ft (2,200 m) |
| GNIS feature ID | 856354 |
Riepetown is a ghost town located in White Pine County, Nevada, in the United States. A ghost town is a place where most people have left, leaving behind empty buildings.
Riepetown is found about 3 miles southwest of where State Route 485 meets U.S. Route 50. It is also about 5 miles northwest of the city of Ely.
The Story of Riepetown
Riepetown got its name from Richard A. Riepe. He was an immigrant from Germany who came to the United States. He was the person who surveyed, or carefully measured, the land in this area.
Richard Riepe later became a politician. He was elected to the Nevada Assembly, which is like a state government group that makes laws. He represented Lincoln County in 1883 and White Pine County in 1889.
Riepetown was different from many other mining towns of its time. It was not a "company town." This means it wasn't owned and controlled by a single mining company. Because of this, Riepetown allowed businesses that were sometimes banned in company towns, like saloons.
Sadly, a very large fire destroyed much of Riepetown in 1917. Even though some parts of the town were rebuilt, people slowly started to move away. Over time, the town became empty, turning it into the ghost town we know today.
