Stage Routes / Stops in Nevada

[Urban Prospector]

Looking for Maps of Stage coach Trails with the varias stations. I recently got invited to search some private land North of Tonapah.Any leads or advice on research materials for the Belmont area, Round Mtn, "Secret Basin" area would be greatly appreciated.Schedulde to be there begining of May.Wish to share any treasure lore I.m all ears eer eyes.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

How to Research for Treasure Hunting and Metal Detecting From Lead Generation to Vetting - Grab it through Amazon!

[TreasureTales]

You might want to get a book my Stanley Paher about Nevada ghost towns. The stage routes went through all the towns at one time, so if you know where the towns were you should be able to find the stage routes. His book can be expensive, but it's the best one I know of for descriptions and locations of ghost towns. Also, Deek Gladson made a map of Nevada ghost towns, but it's very hard to find. I have one and it's not easy nor cheap to get them, either.

 

[Gypsy Heart]

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/trailofthe49ers/trail.htm



http://www.xphomestation.com/nvsta.html

http://showcase.netins.net/web/marjned/stages.html

 

[Urban Prospector]

Thank You Both, Still can't find any thing in the area."Barrel Springs Station" is the location ,NNE of Tonapah and south face of the mountains.Maybe the Ol'timer got some memory wires crossed.more likely it's of a lesser import than thought.Heck it's only 400 mi I'm going even if I'm in the dark when I get there.Might be a good time to take up dowsing what with no preconceived ideas an all.I can hear it now "What the hell ya dig all these dad blamed holes fur"

 

[Gypsy Heart]

.


Tonopah Stage Route, USGS East of Tonopah (NV) Topo Map

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=38.09613&lon=-117.05686&datum=nad27&layer=DRG

 

[TreasureTales]

Order a map from the BLM office in Tonopah (you can get the address and price list online). The map should show Barrel Springs on it. Once you are physically at Barrel Springs, you will most likely be able to see the stage route still visible to some extent today. Unless there are several different springs in the same area (not likely), the station would be within view of the springs.

It's only a day's drive away from you so get going! Even if you can't find Barrel Springs Station, you will be able to find the old Tonopah Dump. Sift the dirt at the dump for some good stuff. It won't be a wasted trip, I assure you.

 

[Urban Prospector]

Thought I'd give you gracious people an update.Drove the 400 + mi to Nevada following directions to travel exactly 12.7 on pole line rd turn at 2 burnt tires for 13.6mi around hill etc.A cabin(shack) had been built on the foundation of the Stage stop.No water but a trickle from a pipe in the ground,vast amounts of debrie and constution castoffs.Searched for 3 days moving multiple yards of dirt/cow crap.My finds were barbed wire inches at a time bent nails by the bag full cans of bullet lead/spent cases buried pipes rusted off fencing T posts, a few nuts bolts and washers.My cousin owns the property and we installed a water system to the back door with a sink faucet and tub, all out doors and all from found items strewn about the area.Treasure is were you find it and the New Moon nights with a fire and Ol Grandad whiskey BSing with my Cuz rank right up there with my Reales.
Bought a new MXT for the trip been using a Compassfrom the 70s since then.Thought we'd take a road trip over the hill (the high Sierras) and come down into the Motherload around Placerville.Searched there for three days only gold I found was with a pan and on some Rainbow Trout I caught and ate with fryed eggs for breakfast.
Am I discouraged ,heck no.would I do it again, In a half a heartbeat.Got a standing offer to return and will.If every time was the big find the big find would get ......average.
Thanks all for your help and good intentions, Urb.

 

[TreasureTales]

Urb, thanks so much for the follow-up. It's always great to learn the rest of the story (to steal a phrase from Paul Harvey.) You really need to get yourself that copy of Stanley Paher's book about Nevada ghost towns. There are still good things to be found and now that you have a cuz with a cabin and water, you might have a great home base for doing some exploring and treasure hunting. The name of the book is Nevad Ghost Towns and Mining Camps by Stanley Paher. Must contain one hundred photos, at least, with good directions for getting to the towns listed and a brief history about each. You can sometimes find the book on ebay for about $25.00 used or $54.00 new. Happy Hunting - and you're absolutely correct, treasure comes in many forms.

 

[Urban Prospector]

TT I had taken your advice about the Nevada Ghost towns book prior to my trip.Went to the local Borders books were the family and I average $150 or so a month in biz. It wasn't in stock so I ordered it.When I went to pick up the book and it wasn't in figured I'd give um more time and come back later.Didn't realize at that time they guarantee if the book doesn't come in in 7 days it's free.Upon receiving the E- mail guarantee, printing it and returning with the guarantee they told me they had already informed me the book wasn't coming so the guarantee was off.My reply was that I hope the local Barnes and Noble didn't have the same Corporate policy of deception and that they might appreciate having another customer.Funny thing is that I didn't ask for a guarantee nor expect one as I ordered plenty in advance.But if one voluntarily gives one's word it should be lived up too.just the same it's still on the list and thanx for the heads up.
On the subject of ghost towns in Nevada it seems more are still being made now.I passed through the towns of Boundary Summit, Coaldale,Blair Junction,Gilbert junction, McLean's and Miller's, all apparently recently abandoned.They're on Hi way 6 refereed to as the "lonelyest road in America".Boundary Summit had a 2 story modernish hotel, a ranch style motel,gas station,store ,resterant and cabins,all abandoned and left to the elements.Too bad too it had some nice pine/juniper forest there and manzanita mixed in.The only trees I saw till Tahoe.

 

[TreasureTales]

Don't buy Paher's book from a retail store - it will cost about $50.00. You can usually find a used one for sale on ebay just about twice a month. Well worth getting, but why spend all that money - particularly when the retail outlet store is trying to mess with you? Neither Borders nor B&N are my favorite stores anyhow. They are too darn big IMO. LOL Make sure you get the right book since Paher seems to like to recycle titles and uses the same one for Atlases, updates, and legends. It's a HB book, about 250 pages or so, and called "Nevada Ghost Towns & Mining Camps by Stanley Paher. It's filled with great old photos and good driving directions. You'll be glad to have it if you get into ghost towning in NV.

Tonopah looked to me as if it isn't going to be a living town much longer, either. It's got some type of military base nearby, but I'm not sure that's enough to keep the town itself alive and kicking. If it goes the way of so many others, I'll be down there picking its bones as often as possible.

OK, just to set the record straigth, US Hwy. 50 is "The Loneliest Road in America." US 6 is the one that runs generally north and south, whereas US 50 runs east and west. Millers is a ghost town, and it was a good spot for finding ore sample crucibles. Dig around in the sand near the concrete foundations. We found a pile of about 100 or so, but most of them were broken. Next time you go down there, you might want to try raking through the sand because you might find some that are still intact.

Well, I surely appreciate all your updates to this thread. I'm a nosy person by nature (inquisitive is a nicer word to use) so I like to know how things worked out for you. Best of luck in your next ghost towning adventure.

 

[LONE GUNMAN]

lol....nice to know you think we are just up and dying.....we are after all the nye county seat, with a population of 2500......lol.....anyways nice to here that you had a good time here in Tonopah.
I do a lot of hunting around here and so do alot of my friends, i use a xlt, and a shaker box. If i am in town hunting lots and parks, ect i use my detector...get me out of town and i will use my shaker box every time....you can expect to find almost anything.....In one hr today my boy, wife and i found one token, and a 39 merc, and one corky bottle....nothing out of the ordanary.....find lots of bottles and marbles, not to mentions some good friends.
next time you get up this way drop me a line maybe i can send you in the right direction.
shaun hall also has a good book on all the nye county ghost towns and stage stops....book is called "Perserving the glory days" you can pick it up at either the musem or the mining park....great book.
happy hunting
Lone Gunman

 

[TreasureTales]

Sorry LG, no offense meant. You gotta admit, though, that Tonopah has seen better days. So many buildings boarded up and so many businesses just hanging on. And when the Cranky Crab restaurant went belly up, well that just about tells me that the town is dying. hahaha (That restaurant was operated by a couple of real characters.)
So what does your screen look like? I'd love to see a few photos of it, so I can get an idea of what a good one looks like.

Long live Tonopah, the museums carry my poetry book and that makes me happy.

 

[Urban Prospector]

I didn't get the impression Tonapah was dieing out, just the oposite, there was a couple newer looking motels and alot of truck traffic. There was nothing between the CA-NV border and there thou.I bet they make a lot of money on that downhill 25 MPH zone.

 

[LONE GUNMAN]

LOL...THEY MAKE MORE MONEY ON THAT DOWN HILL 25 MPH THAN MOST COUNTRYS DO.
SO WHEN IN TOWN DRIVE 25 OR MEET OUR FRIENDLY POLICE FORCE.
HAPPY HUNTING
LONE GUNMAN

 

[Urban Prospector]

Knew just what it was as soon as I saw it.Second gear riding the brake and grinning big.

 

[TreasureTales]

Two years ago when I was digging in the dump, I parked my little travel trailer right on the edge of the dump. I had a great view of the speed trap area. Every day I watched at least 5 cars get ticketed. I have no idea how many total got ticketed each day because most of the time I was not watching. I figured it was the only reliable revenue the city got! LOL