Belmont, Nevada

Belmont is a ghost town in Nye County, Nevada, United States along former State Route 82.[2] The town is a historic district listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It is Nevada Historical Marker number 138.[3]

Belmont
Belmont welcome sign on the edge of town
Location46 miles northeast of Tonopah off State Route 376
Nearest cityTonopah, Nevada
Coordinates38°35′42″N 116°52′34″W
Built1865
NRHP reference No.72000766[1]
MARKER No.138
Added to NRHPJune 13, 1972

History

Belmont was established following a silver strike in 1865. Other minerals, such as copper, lead and antimony, were also mined in addition to the silver. The boom brought settlers in and the town of Belmont grew. In 1867, Belmont became the county seat of Nye County. The town boasted four stores, two saloons, five restaurants, livery stable, post office, assay office, bank, school, telegraph office, two newspapers, and a blacksmith shop.[4] As the price of metals fluctuated, so did the fortunes of the town.

By 1887, several of the mines closed. In 1905, the county seat of Nye County was relocated from Belmont to Tonopah. The mine dumps were reworked in the early part of the 20th century[4]

The post office was in operation from April 1867 until May 1911 and then again from September 1915 until 1922.[5]

During the 1870s it was known as a major mining boomtown producing silver, and was rumored to have a population of 15,000. However, the total population for the whole county did not top 9,000 people until 1980 so the rumored population total is unlikely.[6] Like many towns which are now ghost towns, this one lasted for only a short time.

Present-day Belmont

Some of the buildings still standing include the original Nye County Courthouse, the Cosmopolitan Saloon, the Monitor-Belmont Mill, and the combination mill. Currently, the old Combination Mine and Mill office and Belmont Courier Newspaper office and associated buildings are under restoration and preservation, known as the Philadelphia House, a reference to the name of the lodging house in the 1880s, and the Philadelphia mining district. This building complex was a business for about 15 years known as the Belmont Inn and Saloon, and also the Monitor Inn. Restoration volunteers are being solicited.[4]

To the south of the site there is the Belmont Courthouse now belonging to Nye County and cared for by the "Friends of the Belmont Courthouse". The transfer from the Belmont Courthouse State Historical Park to Nye County took place in 2012.

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Belmont
  3. "Belmont". Nevada State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  4. Wieprecht, Wilbur E. (1971). "Belmont". National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form. National Park Service. Retrieved 2009-04-28.
  5. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Belmont Post Office (historical)
  6. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
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