Sodaville: Home of the Rare and Once Endangered Milkvetch

Buildings at Sodaville (Photo courtesy of Ken Lund)

 You won’t find a Coke in Sodaville. You also can’t find Pepsi or Mountain Dew or any other brand of soft drink.

Despite its frothy name, Sodaville owes its existence to the presence of two mineralized hot springs that flow in the area (hence the name) and a railroad’s need for a station in the area—and not to any type of carbonated beverage.

  Located on U.S. 95, about three miles south of Mina, Sodaville is today, in fact, little more than a name on a map with a handful of decaying buildings. Some online sites actually describe it as “an extinct town in Mineral County.”

  Historical records indicate the area was settled in the 1870s under the name Soda Springs. Situated about 20 miles north of the mining boomtown of Candelaria, it’s believed Soda Springs may have provided water to that mining camp and surrounding camps.

  In 1881, the Carson & Colorado Railroad decided to locate a rail station and roundhouse at Soda Springs, which, was renamed Sodaville. Additionally, a stage/freight line was established linking Sodaville to the mining community of Belmont (about 110 miles to the east).

  Along with transportation-related enterprises, Sodaville also became a popular warm springs resort for locals.

  By the early 1900s, Sodaville had become an important shipping point for ore coming out of Tonopah and Goldfield and supplies going back to those booming mining towns.

  Sodaville also became the site of a couple of small milling operations, which worked ore from nearby mining camps.

  Nevada history writer Stanley Paher has noted that in 1904, there was such demand for faster travel between the Carson & Colorado terminus at Sodaville and Tonopah that the horse-drawn wagons were replaced with Stanley Roadsters boasting 32-horsepower engines and room for up to 16 passengers.

  The trip, which had previously taken an entire day, was now possible in a blazing six to eight hours.

  Sodaville’s usefulness as a regional transportation hub soon came to an end following establishment of the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad in the summer of 1904, which offered quicker, cheaper and better service.

  A year later, the Carson & Colorado’s owners decided to relocate its operations from Sodaville to Mina.

  In about 1915, tungsten was discovered in the mountains west of Sodaville and by the mid-1920s, a tungsten mill, the Silver Dyke, was erected in the community.

  These mining operations, however, were short-lived and Sodaville quickly slipped into obscurity. Today, only a few buildings, foundations and mounds of dirt mark the site of the original settlement.

  A perhaps apocryphal story about Sodaville appeared in the WPA Guide to Nevada, published in 1940. According to the guide, in 1904 a notorious local gunman named “Two-Gun” Mike Kennedy had been bullying camp residents for some time when he encountered a quite but determined miner named James Lund.

  Kennedy had been messing with Lund, who, tired of the harassment, challenged the gunman to a shoot-out. According to the story, Lund was unarmed so “Two-Gun” Kennedy loaned one of his pistols to the miner.

  The two squared off in the center of town, with residents lining both sides. Despite his reputation as the “toughest man ever to emerge from the East,” Kennedy was no match for Lund, who apparently fired all six of his bullets into Kennedy’s body. The sharpshooting Lund, however, was unharmed and, it was said, walked back into the saloon for another drink.

  While little remains of the community, Sodaville has been in the news for two non-mining related reasons in recent decades. In the late 20th century, naturalists discovered that the area was the site of a rare plant known as the Sodaville milkvetch (or Astragalus lntiginosus var. sequimelralis), a member of the pea family.

  According to reports, the Sodaville milkvetch has only been found at two locations in Nevada and one in California. It can be recognized by its divided leaves, purple flowers and inflated, elongated seed pods.

  The Sodaville milk-etch only flourishes in moist, alkaline clay flats near springs and around desert seeps, such as the marshy spring-fed areas found at Sodaville. As a result it was included on federal endangered species lists until recently.

  The other reason Sodaville has been in the news in recent decades was in the 1990s, when an entrepreneur acquired ownership of the area’s hot springs and decided to raise Australian red claw crawfish, which resemble small lobsters, in tanks fed by the springs.

  For a time, he was fairly successful, advertising to travelers on U.S. 95 that they should stop in to pick up what he called “Desert Lobsters.” At the peak of his operations, he had more than a half-million of the shellfish in his tanks.

  Unfortunately, however, he neglected to obtain the proper permits from state wildlife officials to commercially farm a non-native species. Concerned that the crawfish might migrate into other nearby warm springs, some of which contain threatened or sensitive species, his operation was shut down.

  According to news reports at the time, the would-be crawfish magnate wasn’t supposed to sell the crawfish live, which he was apparently doing. After repeated warnings, wildlife officials raided the crawfish farm and killed off the invasive species by pouring chlorine bleach into the tanks.

  So, the next time you’re heading south on U.S. 95 and you’ve just passed the town of Mina, pause for a moment at Sodaville to ponder “Two-Gun” Kennedy, the infamous Desert Lobsters and the rare milkvetch.

Peter Lassen's Final Resting Place

 

It’s peaceful at Peter Lassen’s gravesite near Susanville, California.

Surrounded by tall pines and adjacent to large, open meadow, Lassen’s final resting spot is picturesque and tranquil. The gravesite, which resembles a small park, is located at 2550 Wingfield Road, about six miles from downtown Susanville via Richmond Road.

Lassen, namesake for a county in California, a national park, a national forest, a mountain peak, and a community college (in Susanville) is today recognized as one of the most important non-Native American pioneers to settle in the northeast corner of California in the 1840s.

Lassen was born on October 31, 1800 in the town of Farum, located near Copenhagen in Denmark. Named for his grandfather, Peter, his last name was formed by taking his father’s name (Lars) and adding “son.” Since spelling was haphazard in those days, he was known as Peter Larson as well as Larsen, Larsson, Lawson, and Lassen Farum (after his birthplace). Eventually, he simplified his name to simply Lassen.

By the time he was in his mid-20s, Lassen had become a master blacksmith in Copenhagen. But economic success proved elusive so, in 1830, he migrated to America for better opportunities. After brief periods in Boston and Philadelphia, he settled in Keytesville, Missouri, where he worked as a blacksmith and was active in forming a local militia.

In 1838, he became acquainted with John A. Sutter, who was just embarking on a trip to Hawaii and California. Sutter, who eventually settled in the Sacramento area (and founded that community) invited Lassen to join him in Northern California, which he did in 1840.

After a few years of working in California, during which he had success milling lumber, making furniture, and building saddles, Lassen was able to receive a land grant from Mexican Governor Manuel Micheltorena. His new holdings amounted to 22,000 acres at the confluence of the Sacramento River and Deer Creek, about 22 miles south of modern-day Red Bluff.

During the next few years, Lassen established a small ranch, known as Bosquejo Rancho, which included 2,300 cattle, horses, and mules, fields of cotton, a vineyard (from which he made wine), and a trading post/store. His property attracted others and he helped start up a new town, Benton City, near his land.

In 1848, Lassen traveled to Missouri and led a wagon train back to California by way of a more northern route than previous wagon parties had traveled. Known as the Lassen Trail Cutoff, it proved to be a far more arduous journey than the more traveled Carson Pass or Truckee Pass routes. Despite that fact, thousands would follow on his trail.

Some historians note that Lassen had another motive for encouraging travelers to take the Lassen Trail—it led to his ranch, where he could sell goods to the weary travelers.

Despite that, Lassen was largely viewed as a generous man who was quick to organize rescue parties for lost or struggling travelers. He also was constantly seeking new ways to make his fortune.

In 1850, one of those schemes involved purchasing a steamboat that he planned to use to transport goods and products on the Sacramento River. Unfortunately, the river proved too difficult to navigate and the venture went bust. Lassen lost nearly everything, including his rancho.

By 1855, Lassen had relocated to the Honey Lake area, where he established two ranches, one on the banks of the lake (near present day Milford) and another near present-day Susanville.

Lassen also tried his hand at mining, prospecting in the Black Rock Desert region. In late April 1859, Lassen and a band of eight other men headed out to the area to search for silver. The party split into two groups, with five of the miners leaving first to set up camp and Lassen, along with Edward Clapper and Lamericus Wyatt, departing later.

The latter group traveled for a few hours but couldn’t catch up to the main party and decided to set up their own camp. Interestingly, they were only a mile away from the main group’s camp.

The next morning, as Lassen and his friends were sleeping, they were attacked by an unknown party. Clapper was shot in the head and killed immediately as he slept while Lassen was shot and killed after he stood up to see what was happening.

Wyatt, who jumped on his horse and rode 125 miles to Susanville, told residents that Lassen and Clapper had been killed by either members of the Pit River tribe or the Paiutes. Some were skeptical, however, since whoever killed Clapper and Lassen didn’t raid the camp, which contained food, clothing, and whiskey, after Wyatt rode off.

An expedition rode out from Susanville and found Lassen’s body (but not Clapper’s). They buried Lassen on the site, where he remained until November, when a second party removed him and buried him adjacent to a large Ponderosa tree near his Susanville ranch (where he had previously indicated he wished to be buried).

Clapper’s body wasn’t recovered until 1990, when rock hunters found a skull and upper body skeleton in the Black Rock Desert. In 1992, his remains were buried alongside Lassen’s.

Following Lassen’s death, in 1862, local Masons (Lassen was a member of the order) erected a stone monument adjacent to his grave. By 1917, the ten-foot-tall marker had begun to deteriorate and the Masons erected a larger, taller one adjacent to the site. Today, an enclosure protects the original marker and the Lassen and Clapper gravesites and wooden benches have been set up for visitors to sit and enjoy the surroundings.

Petroglyphs and Pre-History Found Just Outside of Sparks

 

Griffith Canyon petroglyphs

A place I had not learned of until recently that certainly piqued my interest is Griffith Canyon, located in the foothills north of Sparks and on the edge of Spanish Springs.

I had read the canyon was scenic, not too difficult to navigate, and contained good examples of petroglyphs, which are prehistoric Native American rock carvings that are believed to be sacred and related to either hunting, fertility, or something else because no one knows what they mean.

I also was surprised I wasn’t aware of it because of its close proximity to Reno and Sparks.

So, off to Griffith Canyon I went on a recent Saturday morning. Following the instructions that I found on Google Maps, I drove to Nevada 445 (Pyramid Highway) in Sparks, then continued north about eight miles to Calle De La Plata road. I turned right on Calle La Plata, drove another 1.8 miles, then turned right onto Valle Verde Drive.

I passed through a neighborhood of large ranch-style homes for a quarter-mile, then turned right onto Agua Fria Drive (continuing for a half mile). At El Molino Drive, I turned left, and drove about a third of a mile on a dirt road that led to a pair of stone and white metal fences (like a gateway) that stand on each side of the road.

About a quarter mile downhill from the fencing, I found a wide spot in the road (to the right), where I decided to park. On the opposite side was a metal culvert and below was a gash in the mountains that I hoped would be Griffith Canyon.

At first, I wondered if I had found the correct place. But as I stood on the road looking down into the narrow canyon, a full-grown buck with large antlers suddenly appeared before me. I took it as a sign that this was the spot, and slowly climbed down the hill into a rocky, dry wash (wear sturdy shoes, like hiking boots because it’s easy to twist an ankle here).

The buck heard me and bounded up one of the sides of the canyon and disappeared. I continued into the canyon. A rough trail appeared occasionally and seemed to crisscross the creek bed, which was lined with pinion, sagebrush, wildflowers and grasses.

As I walked on, I saw the sides of the canyon became steeper with more rock walls—ideal spaces for petroglyphs. About a third-of-a-mile into the hike, I encountered the first panels of rock writing to my left. Here, I could see jagged lines and patterns carved into the reddish rock wall.

A bit farther, and there were round shapes as well as a carving shaped like a stick with three prongs and stick figure-like images. At the bottom of the rock face, there is also an unusual carving that resembles a turtle.

I marched on for another half-mile, where, to my right, I found the greatest concentration of petroglyphs—several larger rock panels covered with carvings that resembled a big-horn sheep, various circles, lines, and other patterns. In other places I could see more stick figures and other lines and shapes.

Standing in the middle of the wash and looking at the carvings, I had the feeling of being in a spiritual place. These images had been carved several thousand years ago for some unknown but no doubt important reason.

From the road to the larger panels is about three-quarters of a mile, making the entire hike, back and forth, a bit under two miles—and well worth the effort.

One thing to keep in mind is that the petroglyphs here are fragile, so be respectful. The canyon is best explored between April and November, and since there are only a few trees, make certain to dress appropriately for sun and bring water.

Niles Hotel is the Beating Heart of Alturas, California

Saloon Entrance of Niles Hotel in Alturas, California

One of the centerpieces of downtown Alturas, California, is the historic Niles Hotel, located on the corner of Main and Modoc streets.

The grand structure, which takes up nearly half a city block, traces its beginnings to 1908, when work began on what was to be called the Curtis Hotel. In 1912, Jay Eugene (J.E.) Niles, a prominent local businessman (he owned a large flour mill among other things), purchased the unfinished structure, completed the second and third floors, and renamed it after himself.

For decades, the 60-room Niles, which boasts several bars, meeting space, and large banquet rooms on the first floor, served as the social center of Alturas, hosting cattlemen, businessmen, railroad workers, farmers, and loggers. 

Niles, who was born in Michigan in 1853, sold the hotel in 1929 to Mitch and Babe Jurasevich, who lowered the ceilings, added steam heating and baths to the rooms (they had previously been heated with wood stoves) and installed the first elevator in Modoc County (sadly it no longer operates—but it is still there).

The hotel remains an important part of Alturas under the Jurasevich’s, who owned it for more than 40 years. In 1970, the Jurasevich’s sold the property, which went through a series of different owners, most of whom kept it open but made little attempt to improve, modernize or update the property.

In 1976, the hotel, now neglected and in need of work, closed seemingly for good. However, later that year it was purchased by Stephen and Cheryl Baker, who set about restoring it to its former glory. The Bakers devoted more than 12 years and an investment of more than a million dollars in antiques, labor and materials.

From 1995 to 1998, the Bakers leased the hotel to Michelle Marymee, then sold it to the John Vass family in 1998.

In 2011, Jim and Elizabeth Cavasso bought the old hotel, which was again in need of some tender loving care. With the help of the community, the Cavasso’s renovated the hotel and continue to operate it.

These days, the Niles remains a comfortable, albeit funky lodging house. Each of the rooms has been furnished with antiques in a particular theme, such as fishing (the Angler’s Haven room), Africa (Spirit of Africa room), the ocean (Beach House room), or the Old West (Lonesome Dove room).

Tucked inside the hotel is the Niles Coffee Company, which boasts Starbucks Coffee along with delicious baked goods and breakfast dishes, the Niles Saloon, a Victorian bar built in 1875, and the Niles Roadhouse, a restaurant serving lunch and dinner (hamburgers, salads, etc.).

A visit to the hotel is an opportunity to step back in time. It boasts tin-pressed ceilings, creaky wooden floors, an elaborate staircase from the main floor to the second floor, and beautiful wood paneled sitting and meeting rooms. The hotel’s accommodations are comfortable and reasonably-priced, and the staff is friendly.

Stop into the Niles Saloon for a nightcap and you’ll find a scene out of the TV show, Cheers, with a host of “regulars” who enjoy finding out where you’re from and sharing their stories (some of which are tall tales).

The Niles Hotel is located at 302 South Main Street in Alturas, California, which sits on U.S. 395 North (about 170 miles north of Reno). For more information, go to: https://nileshotel.com/ or call 530-233-3773.

While you’re in Alturas, check out the Modoc County Historical Museum (600 S. Main), which houses a number of exhibits detailing local history. It boasts a large antique firearm collection, as well as informative displays about Native American history. For more information about the museum, go to: https://sierranevadageotourism.org/entries/modoc-county-historical-museum/acce18f1-aa59-4839-9f52-5e71030841a1.

Laws Museum Tells the Story of the Carson & Colorado Railroad

Laws Railroad Museum and Historical Site

Mostly forgotten today, the Carson & Colorado Railroad (C & C) was once one of Nevada's more successful rail lines.

   Founded in 1880 by many of the same partners who owned the Virginia & Truckee Railroad, the C & C stretched nearly 300 miles from Mound House to the Eastern California town of Keeler.

   The C & C ceased operations in 1960, but some of its rolling stock, equipment, and buildings have been preserved at the Laws Railroad Museum and Historical Site near Bishop, California.

   To reach the Laws Museum, head two hours south of Carson City on Highway 395 toward Bishop. Turn east on Highway 6, just north of Bishop, and continue for four miles. The museum is located off the highway on Silver Cyn Road.

   The Laws Museum is actually a combination railroad facility and local historical society. The C & C artifacts include the original Laws depot, a water tank, roundtable, motorized passenger car, locomotive No. 9 and assorted boxcars and other rolling stock.

   Additionally, a handful of historic Bishop-area homes and movie set buildings, which were used in westerns filmed in the region (including "Nevada Smith" and "Will Penney"), have been relocated to Laws and converted into display space.

   The community of Laws grew up around the C & C railroad station located there. It was named for R.J. Laws, assistant superintendent of the railroad. By 1890, about 300 people lived in Laws.

   In the beginning, the C & C's owners hoped to take advantage of mining booms in Candelaria and Bodie. Unfortunately, by the time the railroad reached the vicinity of those mining towns both areas had started to decline.

   The company had planned to build the line from Mound House on the Carson River to Fort Mojave on the Colorado River (hence the name Carson & Colorado), but, due to uncertain finances, stopped at Keeler, about 140 miles north of Fort Mojave.

   Indeed, one of the most famous remarks about the C & C was uttered by Darius O. Mills, part of the railroad’s ownership group, who, upon riding to Keeler on an inspection tour, said that the railroad had been built either 300 miles too long-or 300 years too soon.

   In 1900, the C & C was absorbed by the Southern Pacific Railroad, which, in 1905, incorporated the railroad into a new corporation that it called the Nevada & California Railway. In 1910, the line was finally extended between Keeler and Fort Mojave.

   During those years, the line experienced its most profitable period because of the active mining booms in Tonopah and Goldfield, which were connected to the line via the short-lived Tonopah & Goldfield Railroad.

   The Laws to Keeler portion of the route was finally abandoned on April 29, 1960 because it had become unprofitable.

   At the urging of local legislators, the Southern Pacific donated the equipment and facility at Laws to the City of Bishop and Inyo County. The museum officially opened in 1966.

   A walk around the Laws site is a chance to learn the rich history of the area. Nearly a dozen buildings are spread out across the site, each filled with historic artifacts and displays.

   The visitor center, which includes a well-stocked gift shop, is located inside of a false front western structure that was built by Paramount Studios for the movie, "Nevada Smith," which starred Steve McQueen.

   Adjacent are other western-style structures, also former movie sets, which now house historic displays ranging from doctor's tools and utensils, to a General Store that contains antique tins, scales, grinders, cash registers and other items.

   A 1915 chicken coop now houses a nice collection of brands, saddles, cowboy gear and a turn-of-the-century horse-drawn hearse that was once used in Bishop.

   The former Laws Post Office has been preserved as well as an old miner's cottage, now known as the Stove House, which is filled with antique wood stoves.

   The Print Shop contains all of the original desks, presses and other equipment used between 1870-1885 to produce the Inyo Independent newspaper, which later became the Inyo Register.

   The Pioneer House, built in 1920, houses a schoolhouse display (desks, photos, etc.) as well as a nice gun collection, a large camera collection and historic telephone equipment.

   Other buildings contain an extensive Indian basket and arrowhead collection, a huge bottle collection, and a re-creation of a 1920s ranch house, with antique furnishings.

   The restored depot, built in 1883, is the centerpiece of the facility and still contains its original benches, lights and counters. The luggage room has been well stocked with period chests, footlockers and suitcases, while the main room offers two nice model railroad exhibits.

   For more information, go to www.lawsmuseum.org. 

Beatty is the gateway to Death Valley, Ghost Towns and Natural Attractions

Beatty Museum

 From its earliest days, the reason behind the founding of the southern Nevada community of Beatty was water.
  Located directly east of dry and desolate Death Valley, it is no surprise that the presence of the precious stuff would make it a desirable place to put down roots.
  While the history is murky, most records indicate Beatty was originally settled in about 1870 by a man named Landers. All that is known about Landers is that he built a small stone cabin adjacent to a bubbling spring in the area, which was eventually named Oasis Valley.
  In 1896, Montillus Murray Beatty acquired the Landers ranch and moved into the stone cabin. He planted trees around the structure and cultivated a variety of crops.
  When gold was discovered over the hill in the Bullfrog mining district (so named because of the unusual green color of the ore), Beatty's ranch was the closest source of plentiful water and fresh produce. In addition to having a natural spring, his land was atop the Amargosa River, which runs underground through the area.
  The town of Beatty was established in 1904, south of the ranch. It quickly became an important supply point for surrounding mining towns like Bullfrog and Rhyolite, and later thrived because it was located between the booming mining town of Goldfield and the railroad yards of Las Vegas.
  Beatty sold his ranch and springs in 1906 and moved into the growing town of Beatty, which, by that time, boasted 1,000 residents and a major hotel, the 23-room Montgomery Hotel. He died two years later at the age of 73, after suffering an injury while hauling wood.
  In 1906, a rail line was completed that linked Beatty to Las Vegas, and the following year a line was built connecting the town to Goldfield.
  The Bullfrog mining boom, however, ended almost as quickly as it began, with most mines shutting down by 1909. Beatty, while experiencing a decline, was able to survive because of the same things that first attracted people there—availability of water and location on the road linking central Nevada to southern Nevada.
  Today, visitors find a pleasant small community with several hotel/motel casinos, including the Exchange Club Motel and Casino, the Death Valley Inn and the Stagecoach Hotel and Casino.
  In recent years, Beatty has become popular with the RV crowd, attracted by the comfortably warm, winter weather and proximity to Death Valley National Park. The town boasts a half-dozen RV parks.
  In addition to serving as the gateway to Death Valley, which is directly west on Nevada State Route 374, Beatty is only four miles from the ghost town of Rhyolite.
  Established in 1905, Rhyolite was once one of Southern Nevada’s premier mining towns. The ruins of a number of substantial structures, including the Rhyolite Depot and the Rhyolite Bottle House (a former residence constructed using about 15,000 bottles) remain standing.
  Beatty is also only about ten miles from the Amargosa Sand Dunes, including Big Dune, a 2,731-foot high mound of sand that is popular with all-terrain vehicle drivers.
  Beatty’s rich history is presented in nice displays and historic photos at the excellent Beatty Museum and Historical Society at 417 Main Street (775-553-2303), which is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, check out its website at: www.beattymuseum.org/.
  Additionally, a good source of information about the history of Beatty is “A History of Beatty,” by Robert D. McCracken, published by Nye County Press. A condensed version of McCracken’s book, titled, “Beatty: Frontier Oasis,” is also available.

It's a Name that Just Jumps Out at You: The Mining Camp of Bullfrog

 

 Inside the Bullfrog Jail

Bullfrog boasted just about the best name ever for a Nevada mining camp.

How it came to have that name, however, isn’t as clear. Historians say there are a couple of different versions of how it gained such a colorful name.

According to one story, after gold was discovered in the region in August 1904 by two miners, Ernest L. Cross and Frank “Shorty” Harris, Harris thought that the ore, which was speckled green, resembled a bullfrog—hence the name.

Another version, apparently advanced by Cross, was that the name was derived from an old song that Cross always sang, which included the line: “The bullfrog on the bank and the bullfrog in the pool.”

Whatever the origins, within a short time after Cross and Harris made their discovery, a significant mining boom kicked off in the area. The two had taken their ore samples to the mining town of Goldfield, 75 miles north, to have them tested and word soon spread about their fabulous discovery.

Within months, tents and wooden shanties were erected throughout the area. An early photograph shows dozens of white tents spread all over the valley, with little apparent planning or design.

Eventually, a few town sites were established in the vicinity, including one camp called Amargosa City. In early 1905, the entire town of Amargosa City was moved to a flat area below the adjacent mining town of Rhyolite and renamed Bullfrog.

For a short time, Rhyolite and Bullfrog were pretty fierce competitors. By early 1906, Bullfrog had more than 1,000 people, a couple of hotels, a water system, a bank, a post office, a growing residential district and a small business district, and appeared to have the edge.

But Rhyolite would eventually surpass Bullfrog. According to historian and photographer, Nell Murbarger, a man named Pete Busch was the first to envision Rhyolite as a new metropolis in the desert, and aggressively promoted his idea to outside investors.

His efforts bore fruit as many eastern investors, who had missed the Tonopah and Goldfield mining booms, poured money into Rhyolite. At its peak in 1906-07, Rhyolite had more than 6,000 residents, an elaborate Mission-style train depot and dozens of businesses.

While its sister city thrived, Bullfrog began to fade. Many businesses, sensing greater opportunity just up the wash, relocated to Rhyolite.

In 1907, when a national financial panic suddenly stopped the flow of investment into Rhyolite, Bullfrog was also impacted. By 1909, its mines closed and the former boomtown was in a freefall. The Bullfrog post office shut down in May 1909 and most of the rest of its businesses closed or moved away.

A visit to the site of Bullfrog reveals only a couple of foundations, including of the former jail, a few stone walls and the remains of a vintage automobile. Years ago, someone placed hand-painted signs on a few of the former locations of the buildings, although it’s amusing to look at an empty patch of sagebrush and weeds marked “Bullfrog Bank.”

Other signs indicate the former site of the general store and other establishments.

An interesting side note is that the name, Bullfrog, resurfaced about 70 years after the town’s demise. In the 1980s, the Nevada Legislature created a new county, which it named “Bullfrog County.”

The purpose of Bullfrog County, located in the vicinity of the Yucca Mountain range, (not too far from the historical Bullfrog mining district), was to allow the state to tax—at a high rate—the federal government should it succeed in placing a high-level nuclear dump site at Yucca Mountain.

Alas, this Bullfrog’s existence was even more fleeting than the original, as the courts quickly tossed out the law creating the county.

Bullfrog is located about a mile west of the ghost town of Rhyolite. To reach the site, travel south on Highway 95 to Beatty, then head four miles west on State Route 374 to Rhyolite. The remains of Bullfrog are located adjacent to a large red barn-shaped building, directly west of the entrance to Rhyolite.