NEVADA MINING TOWNS: AUSTIN
Nevada is home to dozens of old mining towns that popped up overnight, drew in thousands of people in search of their fortune, only to see them all leave once the boom busted. Get to know one of these Nevada mining towns: Austin.
Gold and silver were first discovered in the Austin area in 1862 by William Talcott. Within a year, an estimated 10,000 people moved into the area. The sudden population boom lead to the creation of Lander County. Austin was designated the county seat, a position it would hold until 1979, when it was moved to Battle Mountain.
Like many Nevada mining towns of the 19th century, there were hopes that Austin would develop into the second coming of Virginia City. Austin was never able to match the success of the Comstock, but it was still fruitful, producing $50 million worth of ore in its lifetime.
Mining production began to slow in the 1880s and by 1890 Austin’s population declined to 1,000. A few attempts at reestablishing mining in the area took place through the 1950s, but only with minimal success.
A living ghost town, a few hundred people continue to call Austin home and several buildings constructed in the 19th century still stand. One of the most famous from the mining boom, The International Hotel, was physically relocated to Austin from Virginia City in 1863, where it continues to operate as a bar and restaurant today.
Austin is also home to one of the most unique buildings anywhere in Nevada, a castle! Stokes Castle was built a few miles south of Austin in 1897 by Anson Phelps Stokes, a wealthy businessman attempting to revitalize mining in the area. Inspired by buildings he had seen visiting Italy, Stokes had the three-story home constructed entirely out of granite and filled with luxurious bedrooms and a state-of-the-art kitchen.
The Stokes family only inhabited the castle for one month, before selling the mining company and other interests in the area. After decades of neglect, all but the exterior of Stokes Castle fell into disrepair. However, the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, guaranteeing future drivers the opportunity to be confused by a castle in the middle of the desert.