Welcome to
Midas
From Tuscarora
head south and then west on old Nevada 18 for 41 miles to Midas.
"Midas
and Jarbidge were eventually to become the biggest twentieth-century
gold towns in Elko County. Midas was originally called Rosebud
and then Gold Circle. James McDuffy discovered the first gold
ore there in July 1907. He took his sample to Tuscarora assayer,
but through it proved valuable he did not file any claims. Shortly
afterwards, McDuffy ran into an old friend, Richard Bamberger,
who immediately came to the area an staked claims. McDuffy and
Bamberger actively worked the Bamberger mine in September, but
a disagreement ended the friendship soon afterwards, and McDuffy
left. Initial assays from the mine ran between $2,400 and $20,000
per ton. This caused a rush to Gold Circle. In October Paul Ehlers
Discovered the Elko Prince mine, the district's best producer.
The Elko-Tuscarora stage line immediately extended a branch to
the camp, and within one month there were 150 people at Gold Circle.
By the
beginning of 1908 the Midas boom was on, and a small suburb, called
Dunscomb after the local doctor, developed, but Midas soon absorbed
it. By the end of January there were several saloons, two restaurants,
a store, two feeding stables, and four real estate offices in
Midas. Because of the high cost of shipping ore, only the highest
grade ore was hauled to the faraway mills.
In 1934
the Midas District produced more than any other mining area in
Elko County, but production value stood at little more than $50,000.
The Elko Prince mine continued to be Midas's best and largest
and now had a 900-foot shaft and 12,000 feet of drifts. While
the ore produced was valued at $120,000 in 1938 and $139,000 above
that amount in 1939, its value slipped to $72,000 in 1940. Labor
shortages combined with decreasing ore values led the Gold and
Silver Circle Company to shut down all operation in early 1941.
This signaled the end of the mines' productive era. In July of
1942 all the company's holdings were sold at a sheriffs sale for
$10,000. The U.S. War Production Board prevented any resumption
of mining operation at Midas and the post office closed on September
30, 1942.
By 1950
there were only nine residents living at Midas, and the school
finally closed in 1952. However in the 1970' and 1980s Midas slowly
revitalized, not because of mining but rather as a recreational
community. Residents of Elko, Winnemucca, Reno and Carson City,
among other places, bought land and homes for summer retreats.
The Midas Historical Society has been created to help preserve
the heritage and original building left in the town. Some partial
restoration has occurred at the long-neglected Midas Cemetery.
Midas is a fascinating place to visit, and remnants of the prominent
mining industry, which produced $4.1 million in gold and silver,
are scattered over a wide area. In the town of Midas, many old
building are intermixed with newer homes, and the school stands
at the lower edge of town. There is much to see in Midas, but
please respect the fact that the town is on private property."
Our thanks
to ghost town and mining camp author Shawn Hall for this partial
history of Midas.
The school
has been restored to original condition and is available to tour.
Midas is well worth the drive. Not only a great hunting area but
also close to Willow Creek Reservoir which offers trout, and bass,
but crappie and catfish.
Make sure
you add Midas to your list of towns to visit on your next Nevada
trip. Midas is very rural but services are available.
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