Please remember to exercise caution when exploring Nevada's Ghost Towns & Mining Camps. Open shafts, drifts going into mountainsides, and old buildings, are all DANGEROUS. Be aware of your surroundings, and let someone know where you are, especially if your plans change.

Argenta (Battle Mountain Station)

DIRECTIONS: From Battle Mountain, head east on Interstate 80 for 12 miles to Argenta Located on north side of the railroad tracks. The Argenta Mine is located 2 miles to the southeast.

"Silver was discovered in 1866 at Argenta, and a small camp quickly formed. Argenta became the first Central Pacific Railroad stop in Lander County for passengers heading east. A post office, with William Westerfield as postmaster, opened soon after on December 4, 1868. The town became a shipping point for the Austin mines, and residents had high hopes that Austin would help make Argenta the railroad center of Lander County. However, attention soon began to focus on nearby Battle Mountain, which was not only closer to Austin but nearer to the booming Galena Mines as well. Argenta's residents realized that the town was doomed, and in December 1870 they moved everything-buildings and themselves-to Battle Mountain. By 1873 only the railroad signal station and a few buildings remained at Argenta. The post office finally closed on February 24, 1874, and Argenta became a ghost town. It was not until 1930 that interests in
Argenta was revived, with the discovery of rich barite deposits on Argenta Mountain. The Argenta, or Barium King, Mine was established and is still producing today. From 1930 to 1969, well over $3 million in barite was produced. Today, a mill is still running at the Argenta siding, where barite is loaded directly onto the trains. Several cattle shipping corrals are also at Argenta. But nothing from the early years remains."

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