In
the 1870s, the only improvements in this area were two wagon trails that crossed in a
remote section of the Mojave Desert; then, in 1900 a gold seeker staked a mining
claim at the junction and called the mine Nippeno. Other miners took up residence at the
crossroads and they soon started calling the community Nippeno Camp. The town
became the social center in the area for miners and ranchers and at one time Nippeno Camp
had a school, post office, railroad depot, and a number of businesses. Then, in 1910,
when the SP, LA & SL rail lines merged with Union Pacific railroad, the town’s name was
change to Nipton to sound more sophisticated.
In the 1920s Hollywood celebrities started coming to the area to stay at the
Walking Box Ranch that was owned by movie stars Clara Bow and Rex Bell and located just a
few miles from Nipton. Clara and Rex loved to throw lavish parties at the ranch
and Hollywood celebrities like Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, and Errol Flynn
found the Walking Box Ranch a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of
Hollywood.
However, as the mines faded into the sunset, so did Nipton. In
1985 the town of Nipton was sold to a private enterprise in an attempt to
retain some of the original buildings. Then, a new type of gold was discovered
in Nipton – the California State Lottery. Nipton is located just west of the California/Nevada
state line and was the closest location for Las Vegas residents to purchase lottery
tickets. Soon, Nipton reached notoriety for the most lottery ticket sales in
California. Unfortunately, when a new store that sold lottery ticket opened on
the California side of the state line in Primm, Nevada, Nipton lost its number
one ranking because Primm was easier and faster to get to for Las Vegas
residents.
Nipton
is now, however, redeveloping itself as the “Gateway to the Mojave National
Preserve,” and the community advertises itself to people from all over the world as an eco-tourism mecca. In 2010 the community installed a solar-powered
generator to provide most of the town’s electricity and eco-cabins for overnight
accommodations were constructed. Other attractions to Nipton include the original five-room hotel that has been remodeled, a travel-trailer park, the original general store (now called the Nipton Trading Post), free water and free public rest rooms. In the evenings one can sit on the front
porch of the hotel and watch the trains go by and enjoy the beautiful front
yard between the hotel and the railroad tracks as the sun sits over the
mountains. There is even a café in town that advertises they have the best
hamburgers in Nipton (when they are open). Wi-Fi is available in the general store for those that
want to stay connected! Now is the time to plan your next vacation and beat the
rush to Nipton!
The
last time I visited the Walking Box Ranch was in 2004, and then in 2006 the
Ranch was purchased by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to be jointly
managed with the University of Nevada. The Ranch is now closed to the public
for renovations, but below are some pictures from 2004.
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