Pyramid City

These are pictures taken at Pyramid City, another abandoned mining settlement outside of Reno.


The Pyramid Mining District is located in the Mullen Pass area, at the junction of the Pah Rah Range and Virginia Mountains, situated approximately 30 miles north of Reno. To get there, Take the Pyramid Highway toward Pyramid Lake. It is the second to the last dirt road you will come to before reaching the reservation boundary.

The settlement is like many mining operations; a combination past and present. There is an old ruined building that once housed a miner or miners. Next to the house is the remains of an abandoned, filled in mine shaft. Further on up the hill, there is a present day mining operation.


Nowadays, the dilapidated remains of the building appears to be a party hideout for local teens. Upon entering the building we found walls covered with graffiti, discarded beer bottles and an old mattress for what use we didn't care to dwell on.


While viewing the surrounding valley, we spotted another building about a mile down the mountain from where we were. Being the curious types we are, we had to investigate. Turns out it was a more recent dwelling. By the pieces of correspondence we found blowing around the structure, the place was inhabited in the not so distant past by "Claude". It appears that things didn't work out so well for old Claude, either he was bought out by the new mining operation up the road, or hard times struck, and he walked away from his home. The little house had a sad, lonely air about it. I can't help but wonder...

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ghost Hunt - Summit Tunnel No. 6, Donner Summit

Image
My friend and fellow ghost hunter Mona grew up in Truckee, California. She has interesting (and eerie) stories to tell. Truckee began as a supply stop along the transcontinental railroad that was being built in the 1800s. It has a compelling history. Many buildings built back in the 1800s still stand today, and ghost stories abound. Mona had caught some interesting pictures while exploring the Summit Tunnel No. 6, one of the most difficult portions of the railway built. She asked if Paula and I were interested in joining her to investigate the tunnel further. Not knowing much about the history of this area, I went online and found out more about this incredible feat of engineering. A HISTORY Constructing a railroad 88 miles over the rugged Sierra Range between Newcastle and Truckee, California, took 12,000 men 3 years and 2 months (February 1865 to April 1868). The Sierra crest, the most challenging section, required 14 tunnels to maintain a maximum grade of 105 feet to the mile.
Read more

American Flats

Image
Just west of Goldhill Nevada on State Route 341, lies American Flats; and the remains of the Comstock Merger Mines cyanide mill. Time and wind have reduced the mill to strangely beautiful skeletal remains. The crumbling reinforced concrete monoliths (there are eight of them), rise out of the desert like post-apocalyptic temples, whose clandestine devotees leave cryptic messages and painted images as offerings to the silent, long dead gods. Some regard the ruins, complete with falling concrete, unprotected drop-offs, flooded tunnels and subterranean vaults a public hazard; others see it as an important piece of Comstock history. History   Circa 1925, courtesy of BLM  Gold and silver mining began in American Flat after 1860 when the Comstock discoveries extended beyond the Gold Canyon ravine. By 1864 American City had become a town and its citizens tried to secure the territorial capital from Carson City. Promoters at American City offered $50,000 to the Nevada
Read more

Humboldt City, Nevada

Image
Here it is, the end of another beautiful summer. What better way to end the season but by spending a few days investigating a Nevada ghost town? Paula and I tossed around a few possibilites. We've been wanting to get out to Leadville, and Unionville sounded pretty good too, but in the end we settled on Humboldt City; and what a great choice it turned out to be. Humboldt City is located some 33 miles east of Lovelock, Nevada. The town is situated in a spring fed canyon at the base of the Humboldt Range, nestled among old strands of cottonwood. Remnants of firepits, and adobe and stone buildings dot the landscape. It is a quiet oasis in the middle of the Nevada desert, and one is struck by the quietness of the place-during the day, that is. The mining settlement of Humboldt City was founded in 1860. Within its short lifespan of 9 years, over a 1,000 silver discoveries were made in the Humboldt City area before its abandonment in 1869. Louis Barbeau was the first miner
Read more