In
1863 William Hamblin was scouting the Meadow Valley area of Utah Territory for new places that could be settled, when a Paiute Indian showed him some
rocks that the Paiutes called “Panagari” or “Panacker.” When it was determined
that the rocks contained silver, Hamblin and some other men formed the Meadow
Valley Mining Company and returned to the area in 1864 to established mining
claims on “Panacker Ledge.”
In 1869 Francois Pioche bought part of the Meadow Valley Mining Company Claims and as workers and other prospectors drifted into the area, “Panacker Ledge” became known as “Pioche’s City” or “Pioche.” In the rush to file mining claims, some of the claims overlapped each other; and since there was no law in the area, guns were the law and gunfights and killings over mining claims were common occurrences. Historians say that Pioche was so lawless that it made Bodie, Tombstone, and other mining towns look like church socials. A sign at boot hill states that 72 men were buried “with boots on” before anyone died of a natural causes.
Today visitors come to Pioche to see the historic ruins that cling to the hillsides. As you enter Pioche the first thing you encounter is the Pioche Aerial Tramway that carried ore from the mines on Treasure Hill to Godbe’s Mill located several miles away in the valley north of town. The tramway was primarily gravity powered and only needed the aid of a 5 horsepower motor to help return the empty ore buckets. (Part of the aerial tramway can be seen in the above Boot Hill Cemetery picture -- if you look closely you can even see the ore buckets still hanging on the steel cables.)
The “Million Dollar Courthouse” and adjacent Mountain View Hotel are located in the Pioche downtown business district. The Courthouse is now operated as a museum.
The Hotel was built by the mining companies in 1895 for visitors who had business at the Courthouse. Over the years many U.S. Senators, Nevada Governors, President Herbert C. Hoover, and other dignitaries stayed at the Hotel. The food, wines, accommodations, and services were reportedly unmatched throughout the west; but the wood-frame hotel has now been abandoned and is in poor condition.
The Pioche main Street contains the Overland Hotel, Thompson Opera House, The Commercial Club, Lincoln County Museum, The Pioche News Stand, The Pioche Oddfellows Lodge, the Nevada Club, and numerous other historic buildings.
The ghost town of Caselton is located directly on the other side of the mountain from Pioche; but the mines are connect under the mountain, so that ore could be moved underground to the mills at either Caselton or Pioche. Even though the old town of Caselton and the original mine have been abandoned, there is a "New Caselton" and new mine in the same area.
In 1869 Francois Pioche bought part of the Meadow Valley Mining Company Claims and as workers and other prospectors drifted into the area, “Panacker Ledge” became known as “Pioche’s City” or “Pioche.” In the rush to file mining claims, some of the claims overlapped each other; and since there was no law in the area, guns were the law and gunfights and killings over mining claims were common occurrences. Historians say that Pioche was so lawless that it made Bodie, Tombstone, and other mining towns look like church socials. A sign at boot hill states that 72 men were buried “with boots on” before anyone died of a natural causes.
(Shot by a coward as he worked his claim. No one even knew his name.)
(John Bass. June 26, 1875. Shot by Officers 5 times)
Today visitors come to Pioche to see the historic ruins that cling to the hillsides. As you enter Pioche the first thing you encounter is the Pioche Aerial Tramway that carried ore from the mines on Treasure Hill to Godbe’s Mill located several miles away in the valley north of town. The tramway was primarily gravity powered and only needed the aid of a 5 horsepower motor to help return the empty ore buckets. (Part of the aerial tramway can be seen in the above Boot Hill Cemetery picture -- if you look closely you can even see the ore buckets still hanging on the steel cables.)
The “Million Dollar Courthouse” and adjacent Mountain View Hotel are located in the Pioche downtown business district. The Courthouse is now operated as a museum.
The Hotel was built by the mining companies in 1895 for visitors who had business at the Courthouse. Over the years many U.S. Senators, Nevada Governors, President Herbert C. Hoover, and other dignitaries stayed at the Hotel. The food, wines, accommodations, and services were reportedly unmatched throughout the west; but the wood-frame hotel has now been abandoned and is in poor condition.
The Pioche main Street contains the Overland Hotel, Thompson Opera House, The Commercial Club, Lincoln County Museum, The Pioche News Stand, The Pioche Oddfellows Lodge, the Nevada Club, and numerous other historic buildings.
The ghost town of Caselton is located directly on the other side of the mountain from Pioche; but the mines are connect under the mountain, so that ore could be moved underground to the mills at either Caselton or Pioche. Even though the old town of Caselton and the original mine have been abandoned, there is a "New Caselton" and new mine in the same area.
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