Roach, Nevada facts for kids

Roach is a fascinating ghost town located in Clark County, Nevada. It's also known as a railroad siding, which is a short track next to a main railway line. Roach sits along the Union Pacific Railroad, a major train route, between the towns of Jean, Nevada and Nipton, California.

What is the History of Roach?

When Was Roach Founded?

Roach was first settled sometime between 1902 and 1905. It started as a small community.

How Did Roach Become Important for Mining?

In 1904, a special road was built from the Mesquite Valley to Roach. This road was mainly used to transport borax, a mineral, from the Death Valley area. It also helped move other valuable ores from mines in the Goodsprings Mining District.

Roach quickly became a very important shipping point for the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad. This meant a lot of goods and materials were sent through Roach by train, especially around 1913. Nearby towns like Jean and Arden were also busy shipping points.

What Mines Used Roach Station?

Around 1915, the Roach Station was the closest train stop for mines like the Milford-Addison group. Lead-zinc ore was also mined at the Mobile Mine and shipped to Los Angeles from Roach.

In 1915, about 500 tons of zinc carbonite ore were trucked to Roach every month from the Green Monster Mine. The next year, the Mojave Tungsten Company planned to build a tungsten plant not far from Roach.

What Was the Record-Breaking Event at Roach?

Roach was the site of an amazing event in 1916. Two miners, Roy Sorenson and Fred Piehl, had a lease on the Addison Mine. They hired a team to haul 55 tons of zinc to the Roach train station.

The Goldfield News newspaper called this a hauling record! The team worked for almost 42 hours straight to get all the ore to the station before the miners' lease ran out.

What Happened to Roach Later On?

By the 1920s, Roach was still considered an "important" shipping point on the railway line. Around 1921, the Las Vegas Aviation Club even offered airplane landings at Roach.

However, by 1940, Roach had a population of only 10 people. Over time, as mining slowed down and transportation changed, Roach became a ghost town.

Roach is still recognized today. It appears on a special map called the USGS Roach 7.5' topographic map, published in 1985.

Where is Roach Located?

Roach is found on the eastern side of Roach Dry Lake. Its elevation is about 2,620 feet (799 meters) above sea level.