Goldfield, NV - Unique Resting Places for People & Cars

Goldfield, NV
Gemfield BLM 

We started our day back at the Saloon for breakfast.  It is the only place to eat.  No choices though.  You get "The Plate".  It had chicken and biscuits with gravy, cheesy potato casserole, bacon and fresh fruit.  It was actually very good and the coffee was great!

This cemetery just outside of town was very interesting.  There were several different sections all within the same cemetery.  Elks, Masonic, Pioneer, etc.

I loved this sign in the pioneer section.  Especially the unmarked grave of "a man who ate paste in the library"!

  

Rockhounding is very popular out here.  Many graves are decorated with different types of local rock and even broken bits of  old, colored bottles.

These two graves had shiny black Obsidian stones on top.

    

Some were fancy, and some plain.

  

 Some average folk... and some more famous.

Madame Harell was a simple Jewish girl from Brooklyn, NY.  She grew up to realize her dream of singing and dancing on Broadway and in Hollywood.  Beverly met and married a bar tender and later opened up an elite call girl business called the Cottontail Ranch in Nevada.  Apparently it was a favorite hang out for Howard Hughes.

As usual in these parts, many miners are buried here.  Poor William died in a cave-in.

Gold was discovered in Goldfield in 1902 and the town boomed to become the largest in Nevada.  Some interesting tidbits include Wyatt and Virgil Earp who came here in 1904.  Virgil became Deputy Sherriff in 1905 but caught Pneumonia 6 months later and died.  He is buried in Oregon.  Wyatt then left.

Goldfield reached a peak of 20,000 by 2006 and hosted a lightweight boxing match between Joe Gans and Oscar Nelson.  We found that out at a geocache on a plaque at the Courthouse.

In 1908 The Great Automobile Race from New York to Paris began on February 12 and ended in Goldfield on March 19.  The US team finished first followed by Italy, France and Germany.  There were constant parades held on Main St.

Goldfield runs an annual Land Auction each August during Goldfield Days.  In 2012 there were 13 properties available ranging from $800 to $6,025.  This money helps increase interest in the former boomtown.  Many buildings look to be beyond repair, but many are being refurbished.  This may be a good time to buy a house here.  We were told that this is one of the very few places that has Lithium. The mine is expected to open soon.  Since there is very little housing, prices are hoping to go through the roof.  We didn't see any for sale as most folks are holding out. Very interesting.

This arch is all that is left of the Sideboard Saloon built in 1907.

Esmerelda County Courthouse.

What used to be the shining star of Goldfield, is the Goldfield Hotel.  The Classic Greek Revival style hotel was built in 1907 for $360,000.  The hotel has been closed since the end of WW2 when it was used as housing for Tonopah Air Field officers.  It's now better known for ghosts.  Many ghost hunting TV shows have been here and explored the structure.  It is currently being refurbished but very slowly.

Main Street is a hodge podge of old wooden buildings.  Most burned down over the years and have been rebuilt with concrete blocks and brick.

Fire Station

Subway Station to.....?

The High School is currently being rebuilt.  Not sure what it will be once it's done, but nice to see these old treasures restored.

Restoration was being done here too.

The Old Bottle House.

This old Swiss/German looking home was one of my favorites.  There are so many old structures and homes here it's too bad they have fallen into such disrepair and could not come back like Tombstone.

Last on our list was to see where old cars go to die.  Actually, they turn into "art".

Driving down a dirt road, past old mines into the desert just beyond town you'll find the International Car Forest of the Last Church.

"Your Honor, I'd like to mark this as Exhibit A".

  

We've seen other similar places like Carhenge and Cadillac Ranch.  This one was bigger, but I wasn't as impressed with the art.  Some were better than others.  It is free to drive/walk through.

    

I prefer my hearts found in nature.

I'd give it a 10 for placement.

 

We drove around and walked in areas where they were concentrated.

   

A limo parked on top of an ice cream truck?

   

 

Oh, there was one boat.

I wouldn't go out of my way to see this place, but if you're in the area, it's worth a visit.

Steve found a geocache on a hill above the cars.

An old truck that remined Steve of one he used to own.  He only was able to do a small amount of work on it before we sold it and went on the road fulltime.

I'm glad we finally spent a few days here.  Most of the time we just drive through.  Don't forget to gas up before you come here as there are no gas stations.  One is in the process of being built though.  Tonopah 30 miles north is the closest and cheapest or double that going south to Beatty. Come with your fresh water tank full too.

Next up is a visit with more old mining towns, RV friends and awesome slot canyons!