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Rhyolite Ghost Town
Rhyolite Ghost Town

Rhyolite Ghost Town

Rhyolite is a ghost town attraction located 38 miles north of the Furnace Creek Visitor Centre. The town is the best known for its remnants, which are a reminder of its past glory.

Even before delving into its rich history, it is important to go back to where it all began.

Rhyolite Ghost Town, History, Statues, Sculptures, Museum, Death Valley

Rhyolite’s story begins with the names of two popular prospectors: E. L. Cross and Shorty Harris. The two were on a mission to search the land for its amazing fortunes. At the time, the town was not only rich in minerals, but it was also sparsely populated – two factors that contributed to its rapid growth.

In 1904, the couple unearthed a tiny hill that was teeming with quarts and great gold streaks all throughout. Upon this discovery, the couple sought to celebrate with the area’s residents. The only person who was present was an older man who lived five miles away – Beatty. It is this man, after whom Beatty in Nevada is named after.

When word spread about this discovery, people started flocking Rhyolite. The town is aptly named after the volcanic rock that abounds in the area. The gold rush era begins in earnest, with the setting up of different mining camps at Amargosa, Jumperrtown, and Bullfrog.

In just a few short months, the whole area was covered with mining claims, with the most promising mine been the Montgomery Shoshone Mine. At its peak, Rhyolite was home to more than 12,000 inhabitants in 1907. Four years later, mining operations at the Montgomery Mine were shut down, closely followed by cutting off the power in 1916.

This marked the sharp decline of the town’s prosperity, and all that is left today are the remains of a few building blocks. The only complete buildings are The Bottle house and the train depot. They make for an interesting sight, certainly a far cry from the town’s glorious past.

For what this town lacks in glamour, it makes up for in a quaint manner – perfect for photoshoots. Rhyolite is located close to Beatty, Nevada, which is famous for its local hot springs and spectacular sights.

About the author

Michael Jones

Michael created and runs the Las Vegas Travel Hub website, as well as the Holiday Point travel brand that incorporates a network of 16 location based travel information and attraction websites around Australia, Asia, and around the world.

With 25+ years of online experience and a passion for travel (having visited Las Vegas many times and had the times of his life), Michael not only researches and writes content for the website, he also tinkers behind the scenes with the website functionality & design.

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