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.

 

Newark

DIRECTIONS: From Cold Creek, head south for 21 miles. Exit right and follow for 1 mile to Newark.

"Two prospectors from Austin, Stephen and John Beard, ventured into unexplored Newark Valley in October 1866. They located silver claims later bought by the Centenary Silver Company in 1867. The company spent $50,000 to move a 20-stamp amalgamation mill from Kingston (Lander County) and rebuild it at the newly formed camp of Newark. Another $130,000 was spent adding eight reverberatory roasting furnaces, ten amalgamating pans, five settlers, and a 140-horsepower engine. These additions, however, were a waste of money because the ores of the district were free milling and didn't need to go through the amalgamation process. Money for mill expansion was given by the Methodist Church, with the understanding that the company, when profits rose, would build a new Methodist Church in Austin. The main mines of the district (Baystate, Nevada, Battery, Lincoln and Buckeye State) were located in nearby Chihuahua Canyon.

The Centenary Mill handled large amounts of ore from Treasure Hill during the late 1860s when ore production was too much for White Pine mills to handle. Centenary treated ore that was primarily from the Aurora South and Eberhardt mines. A fire struck the mill on February 5, 1868, and while the machinery was barely damaged, more than $20,000 in structural damage did occur. The mill was repaired and back in operation by May 1. The Newark Mining Company bought out the Centenary Company in 1872, and the town of Newark peaked soon after. Newark Mining spent $400,000 on mine development and opened new mines, including the North Chihuahua, South Chihuahua, Washington, and Indian Jim. The summer of 1874 saw close to 200 miners working the district, but the shallow deposits soon ran out and the Newark District began a quick slide to oblivion. The mill closed down in 1874 and was idle through the rest of the decade. Caretakers kept the mill in running condition, and only a few residents stayed in Newark. It wasn't until 1902 that a revival began, with the Newark Mining and Milling Company working several old mines. The company was active until 1908, when ore values dropped enough to force the company to fold. Intermittent activity took place until 1957. Since then the district has been abandoned. Total Production stands at $518,000, with the Baystate Mine, at $134,000, being the biggest producer. Considering the money put into developing the district, the returns were not that significant. The mill foundations dominate the site, with mine dumps and collapsed wooden buildings scattered nearby."

 

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