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.

New Pass (Franklin)

DIRECTIONS: From Austin, head west on U.S. 50 for 19 miles. Exit right onto poor dirt road. Follow for 2.5 miles. Keep left, ignoring right turn, and continue on for 4 miles to New Pass.

"Gold ore was discovered in late 1865 and the New Pass, or Franklin, Mining District was organized the following year. The name came from an old pioneer who believed that he had discovered a pass through the mountains, but he was mistaken. A number of mines were established during the spring of 1866, including the Gold Belt (original shipment yielded $1,871 per ton), Superior ($100 per ton), Oriental ($62 per ton), Ingoldsby, Lake, Central, and Churchill. The mines attracted attention during 1866 when Stetefeldt (designer of furnace fame) conducted an extensive review of the New Pass District. He calculated that it would be profitable to build a 20-stamp mill here and estimated that it would cost $62,500, plus another $11,500 to prepare the mines for consistent production. These plans never materialized. The old 5-stamp Ware Mill was moved to New Pass from Austin in October 1867. New Pass peaked during 1868 when a camp of 50 formed. Buildings were erected and a mercantile store and saloon opened for business. The mines declined during the late 1860s, and the New Pass Mill closed in 1871.

New Pass was abandoned until fall 1889. Two companies, the Nantucket Mining Company and Starrett, Raindoh and Company, worked the Rabbit Foot, Sheridan, and Yellow Bull mines. Both gave up by summer 1890. A revival from 1900 to 1904 saw 50 residents return to New Pass. A post office named Franklin, with Emma Bonner as postmistress, opened on February 20, 1900. The name was changed to new Pass on May 2, and Charles Littrell was named postmaster. The mining activity ended in 1903 without any substantial production. The post office closed on February 28, and by summer the camp was empty. The Nevada Austin Mines Company worked the district during World War I. A 75-ton cyanide mill was constructed to treat the company's copper ore, but the company folded in early 1919 and the property was sold to pay a $30,000 mortgage.

Intermittent activity took place at New Pass from 1929 to 1941. New Pass Gold Mines, Inc. (Parker Liddell, president) established a camp in 1929. A 30-mile road to Campbell Creek Ranch, near Carroll Station, was built, and a 50-ton Hardinge crushing mill was constructed in 1930. The company worked the district until 1937. In 1939 Wayne Smith and Howard Snyder began to work the Thomas W. Mine and $1,840 was produced during the next two years. Mining activity has been periodically attempted since then, but nothing of substance has actually been produced. Today only a couple of wooden buildings remain. In addition, stone ruins and remains of three mills are scattered around the New Pass site."

Return to: Ghost Town & Mining Camp Map