Belmont, Nevada

Belmont
Nevada Historical Marker #138

Belmont welcome sign on the edge of town
Location 46 miles northeast of Tonopah off State Route 376
Nearest city Tonopah, Nevada
Coordinates 38°35′33″N 116°52′16″W / 38.59250°N 116.87111°W / 38.59250; -116.87111Coordinates: 38°35′33″N 116°52′16″W / 38.59250°N 116.87111°W / 38.59250; -116.87111
Built 1865
NRHP Reference # 72000766[1]
MARKER # 138
Added to NRHP June 13, 1972

Belmont is a ghost town in Nye County, Nevada, United States along former State Route 82. The town is a historic district listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It is Nevada Historical Marker number 138.[2]

History

Belmont in 1871

Belmont was established following a silver strike in 1865. Other minerals, such as copper lead and antimony, were also mined in addition to the silver. The boom brought settlers in and the town of Belmont grew. In 1867, Belmont became the county seat of Nye County. The town boasted four stores, two saloons, five restaurants, livery stable, post office, assay office, bank, school, telegraph office, two newspapers, and a blacksmith shop.[3] As the price of metals fluctuated, so did the fortunes of the town. By 1887, several of the mines closed. In 1905, the county seat of Nye County was relocated from Belmont to Tonopah. The mine dumps were reworked in the early part of the 20th century[3]

During the 1870s it was known as a major mining boomtown producing silver, and was rumored to have a population of 15,000. Like many towns which are now ghost towns, this one lasted for only a short time.

Present-day Belmont

Belmont courthouse, closed for renovation, October 2009
Ruined building

Some of the buildings are still standing, including the courthouse, the Cosmopolitan Saloon, the Monitor-Belmont Mill, and the combination mill. Currently, the old Combination Mine and Mill office and Belmont Courier Newspaper office and associated buildings are under restoration and preservation, known as the Philadelphia House, a reference to the name of the lodging house in the 1880s, and the Philadelphia mining district. This building complex was a business for about 15 years known as the Belmont Inn and Saloon, and also the Monitor Inn. Restoration volunteers are being solicited.[3]

To the south of the site there is the Belmont Courthouse now belonging to Nye County and cared for by the "Friends of the Belmont Courthouse". The transfer from the Belmont Courthouse State Historical Park to Nye County took place in 2012.

References

  1. ↑ National Park Service (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. ↑ "Belmont". Nye County Historical Markers. Nevada State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved 2011-06-21.
  3. 1 2 3 Wieprecht, Wilbur E. (1971). "Belmont" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form. National Park Service. Retrieved 2009-04-28.

External links

Media related to Belmont, Nevada at Wikimedia Commons

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