The ghost town of Coaldale

Coaldale is a former mining town and true ghost town in Esmeralda County, Nevada, located at the junction of U.S. Route 6 and U.S. Route 95 about 40 miles (64 km) west of Tonopah.

History

Coal was discovered near Coaldale in 1894 by William Groszenger who sold 150 tons to the Columbus Marsh Borax works. In 1911, the Darms Mine and the Nevada Coal and Fuel Co. mines were in operation. Coal was found 4 miles SSE of Coaldale in the north end of the Silver Peak Range.[1][2]

In the early 1900s, there was renewed interest in the coal, when Dr. Frances Williams of Goldfield, Nevada personally restaked claims. At the time, Groezenger retained the majority of the claims.[3]

In November, 1917, the Darms Mining Company asked the Nevada Railroads Commission to secure a rate of $3/ton to deliver coal from Coaldale to Reno. The Tonopah and Goldfield Railroad replied that while they had grave doubts about the value of the coal, they offered two plans: 1) where one or two cars would be transported to Tonopah, Goldfield and Reno and if the coal was usable, then a rate would be established for future shipments, or 2) a temporary rate of $6.35/ton would be used, which was the Reno to Coaldale rate. In February, 1918, Darms replied that the seam was too small to take advantage of either offer.[4]

In the 1940s, Eldon and Jewel Parson operated a gas station near the Tonopah and Goldfield Railroad grade. They later moved their operation about 1 mile (1.6 km) to the junction with Highway 95. The restaurant and bar buildings were part of a hospital in Tonopah and trucked to Coaldale.[5]

Coaldale had a store, cafe, motel and service station as late as 1993, but they are now abandoned, though still standing. Residences and other buildings have disappeared. The service station was closed down due to EPA testing in 1993 that found that its underground fuel tanks were leaking. Soon, the restaurant and motel closed, since the service station was the primary attraction for travelers. At some point before 2006, a fire destroyed the restaurant.

Trivia

In 1994, the movie The Stranger was filmed at Coaldale. The Stranger features Kathy Long, female kickboxing champion, who battles bikers and saves the town.[6]

Opening of bituminous coal bed. William Groszenger, the discoverer of the field. He is standing by the Columbus coal field, Columbus, Esmeralda County, Nevada. 1896. Note that there is a similar picture in Spurr, "Ore Deposits of the Silver Peak Quadrangle, Nevada," v. 55 USGS, at Groszenger's name is also spelled Groezinger in other sources

References

  1. ↑ Spurr, Josiah Edward (1906). Ore Deposits of the Silver Peak Quadrangle, Nevada (Report). U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 165. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  2. ↑ Lincoln, Francis Church (1923). Mining Districts and Mineral Resources of Nevada (Report). Reno, Nevada: Nevada Newsletter Publishing Co. hdl:2027/mdp.39015011432807. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  3. ↑ Zanjani, Sally (September 2000). A Mine of Her Own: Women Prospectors in the American West, 1850-1950. ISBN 0803299168. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
  4. ↑ Reports of the Railroad and Public Service Commissions of Nevada (Report). p. 22. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  5. ↑ Aaron, Jerry (2015). Nevada's Teamsters, Truckers & Truck Stops: A Chronicle. ISBN 9781889243689. Retrieved January 1, 2018. Includes 1974 photo from the Central Nevada Museum.
  6. ↑ Henley, David C. (February 17, 2006). "Tiny Nevada town featured in bloody 'biker' movie is for sale". Retrieved December 31, 2017.

38°01′39″N 117°52′59″W / 38.02750°N 117.88306°W / 38.02750; -117.88306

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