Pioche,Nevada May 2012

I remember visiting Pioche,Nevada several times as a child and in my youth. My father actually lived in Pioche when he was young,my mom in Panaca. My father would travel to Panaca for school. We would occasionally visit the movie theater in Pioche and my younger brother Craig remembers swimming at the pool in Pioche. I always knew Pioche had been a mining town. My Uncle Pete Horlacher's family owned and operated the general store in Pioche. Pete is married to my mom's younger sister Delores. We didn't spend a lot of time in Pioche as my father's family no longer lived there. My grandfather, George Paul Wimsatt Sr, died before I was born. I enjoy taking pictures and it was fun to visit Pioche with Craig and Tracy. We explored some of the old mine buildings and ate dinner at the Silver Cafe which served up some good food!

The Town of Pioche

In 1864,William Hamblin,a Latter Day Saint missionary,was led to silver deposits in the vicinity of Pioche by a Native American Paiute. In 1868,San Francisco financier Francois L.A. Pioche purchased claims and constructed a smelter in the area, forming the Meadow Valley Mining Company. The mining camp was called "Pioche's City" and later became known as Pioche.

Pioche rapidly became the largest mining town in southeastern Nevada in the early 1870's. By 1871 estimated population was 10,000. A large contrast from today's population of 900.Pioche was famous for being the "toughest town". Quite a reputation! The reputation was due in the most part over confusion about the exact location of mining claims. Mining owners resorted to "hired guns" who were imported, about 20 a day! The gunmen were paid 20 dollars a day. This was better than trying to settle in court because bribery usually determined the outcome!

Guns were the only law and Pioche made towns like Tombstone,Bodie and other better known towns pale in comparison. It states that 75 men were buried in the cemetery (Boot Hill) before anyone could die of a natural death.

Pioche is the county seat and the courthouse plans were initiated in 1871. The final cost of the Lincoln County Courthouse was nearly 1,000,000.  The initial contract was that it should be built for 26,000. There was corruption in the building of the courthouse.The final payment was made in 1937 four years after the building was condemned.

Sadly, the fortunes of Pioche faded in the 1880'sdue to the shutdown of the principle mines in 1876. During World War II an economic boon occurred when Pioche was the second largest lead and zinc producer in the nation. Present day Pioche has little mining activity,being the county seat its main focus is government.

Craig and I were throwing rocks into this fenced off shaft. We could hear them bounce a few times but we never heard them hit bottom.

Inside this building we found the pulley pictured below. Massive!

Those spools (don't know what to call them) are made of wood.

Can you read the date? May 10,04. I don't think that was 2004.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures. We had fun taking them!