Nevada Ghost Towns: Belmont
Throughout Nevada’s history, mining communities have popped up seemingly overnight after the discovery of ore. Thousands traveled to these communities in search of their fortune, only to see many of them die out after the boom came to an end. While the people have left, Nevada’s ghost towns still have a story to tell and are an important part of the Silver State’s history. Learn more about one of these communities: Belmont.
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Founded in 1865, the discovery of silver in the area resulted in people quickly flocking to Belmont. At its height, the town had a population of… well, a lot for 1870’s Nevada (estimates range anywhere from 2,000 to 15,000). While it was difficult to determine exactly how many people called Belmont home, it was determined big enough in 1876 to become the Nye County seat, a status it would hold until 1905.
Belmont was home to two newspapers, a number of bars and restaurants, and the Cosmopolitan Music Hall, which attracted entertainers from around the country. During its peak mining years, the town had six operational mills and produced $15 million worth of ore during its lifetime. However, the boom would only last until the mid-1890’s. By the early 20th century, Belmont’s population had all but vanished. As people left, most buildings were stripped of their hard-to-come-by timber roofs to be used in construction elsewhere, leaving only brick walls behind.
A few signs of what Belmont used to be still exist. The beautiful two-story Belmont Courthouse, constructed in 1876, stands largely intact and is a designated Nevada state historical site. Throughout the years, visitors have marked their visit to the courthouse by carving their name inside the building, including Charles Manson. As the story goes, Manson and his followers attempted to camp inside the courthouse one night, only to be spotted and kicked out by Rose Walter, Belmont’s tough-as-nails unofficial guardian. The Manson visit to has never been officially confirmed, but the signature remains an unnerving site, even by ghost town standards.
Want to learn about other Nevada ghost towns? Check out our blog post on Goldfield and Unionville.
Cover photo: Flikr/Robert Shea