My World Tuesday - From Times Long Gone..

Long post today, but I couldn't decide what to include :-)

Back in April of last year, friends and I visited an old ghost town, just out of Falloon, NV and off Route 50. One of the many that dot my little corner of the world.

This one was known as La Plata, meaning silver in Spanish.

La Plata was a mining camp, established in 1862, when silver was discovered in the area. It existed through till about 1869, when it was abandoned due to much richer discoveries.

From 1864 - 1868 it was the Churchill County Seat and it also had a Post Office. If you google La Plata Post Office,Nevada, it will tell you the weather for that area, just as though it was still official :-)

La Plata is situated in a canyon that extends from the south slopes of the Stillwater ranges to Fairview valley. I believe the canyon was formed by earthquake activity.

(Click on photos to get larger view)



These ruins are the first thing you see as you enter the town site. A plaque in front of them says that they are believed to be the walls of the old courthouse. However, other information I've found, suggests that they may be the remains of the mill, that broke up the silver bearing rock.

The rocks, that form the walls and the walls of the miner's homes, were all hewn by hand from the walls of the canyon.




The remains of the miner's homes, dot the slopes. They are mostly one roomed structures of varying sizes. Many of them are now covered in scrub.


This one had a fireplace, complete with mantel. Looking under, you could see where a steel hook had been inserted to hold a cooking pot..


One of the bigger cabins. It had a circular pit in the center, which now has a bush growing out of it, which I am guessing was a fire pit.


This was one of the mine shafts, still with the ladder going down into it. I wasn't game to go down,as they are rather dangerous, plus they are also a haunt for snakes.


I believe this is probably the remains of the corral, by the looks of the fence posts and square headed nails used in their construction.


The road that leads up to La Plata.

Churchill County keeps it in pretty good repair, grading it at least once after the snows have passed.

Can you imagine what it must have been like for the miners though ... bringing their supplies in on bullock carts or horse back. No four wheel drives or modern conveniences for them. Life was very tough back then.

Makes you thankful for modern life, in some ways :-)

Now, go to MY WORLD TUESDAY where people from all over our globe , show off their little corner of the world !