Ely, Nevada (pronounced E-Lee) is one of the oldest cities in the state and sits at an elevation of 6,437 feet above sea level. Known as “The Heart of the Golden West”, Ely was the economic center of Nevada in the late 1800s. Railroads, mining, and merchandising made this city an historic crossroads during the gold and silver rushes. Decorating many of the old buildings are murals depicting the many aspects of the history, including one dedicated to the famous ambassador of the Nevada Northern Railway – the Shop cat, “Dirt”. Ely provided us with much cooler summer temperatures and a centrally located base to explore more of Nevada’s history and ghost towns.
Ely
The city of Ely has about 4,000 residents. Many of the houses and buildings were built when mining and railroads were at their peak. Some have been beautifully restored and others are left in disrepair. This makes for a very eclectic overall look. We found the most amazing root beer floats served at the soda fountain in the McGill Drugstore and one of the best pizzas we’ve ever had at Hometown Pizza, an old pizza parlor circa 1970. We also happened to be in town at the same time one of the train themed Lego meet-ups occurred.
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Nevada Northern Railway (NNRR)
One of the most unforgettable experiences was a visit to the Nevada Northern Railway Museum. The entire train yard has been preserved as a National Historic Landmark and many parts of the property are still being used today. It was like stepping back in time when steam engines ruled the transportation world. The 56 acre complex contains more than 70 buildings and miles of tracks, switches, and sides tracks. The self guided tour led us through shops where mechanics were working on engines and all kinds of train cars. They would stop and answer any questions we had. We met the shop manager who was in the process of painting one of their steam engines for the America 250th Anniversary Celebration. The museum offers a multitude of hands-on programs where participants can be the engineer and drive one of the trains, work on the railroad and even stay in a bunkhouse. It is a railroad enthusiast’s dream.
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After touring the museum complex, we returned the following day to ride one of the daily excursions to the active Kenneco copper mine in the town of Ruth. We left the Ely Depot aboard one of the diesel engine operated trains with several passenger cars, an observation car and a caboose. The conductor, brakeman and other staff were friendly and engaging. We heard the story of the Shop cat named “Dirt” who charmed every visitor to the Mechanics’ Shop and even had a part in a documentary on PBS. The beloved ambassador has a mural in town dedicated to him and a special memorial gravesite at the railroad yard. Prior to Dirt’s passing, several “Dirt, Jr.’s” were adopted and trained as shop cats to succeed the OG.
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The Ghost Town of Taylor, NV
Silver and a small amount of gold were discovered in 1872. But it took investors from OHIO in 1883 to turn Taylor into a bustling mining camp that would last 10 years. Joseph Carothers traveled from Taylor to Canton, Ohio and secured financing from the Aultman Estate. As soon as the money was raised, a fifteen stamp mill was constructed at the nearby Comins Lake and mining began in earnest. The Argus and the Monitor mines were the most productive of the district. We found a few ruins around the area but evidence of the town besides the cemetery was gone. However, we found a ranger box at the cemetery gate which was a “gold mine” of information. Thanks to the restoration and maintenance efforts of a group called “Passport In Time” (PIT), many of the souls buried in the cemetery have been identified. We found another Ohio reference in these records along with fascinating accounts of causes of death over the 40 years that the cemetery was in use. It was incredible to read through the record of mining camp life and death while standing on the very hills where Taylor existed.
Later that afternoon, we picnicked at Cave Lake State Park where the 32 acre reservoir, constructed in the 1930’s, now provides crystal clear water at the base of rugged cliffs. The park is relatively unknown and provided a quiet refreshing place for lunch after the basin and range terrain of Taylor.
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Campground Review: Valley View RV – Ely, Nevada
We returned to Ely, NV after our stay at the Great Basin National Park. Due to wind gusts of over 60 mph in the forecast, we left Whispering Elms RV Park early in the morning to get to our next destination before the winds hit. Sometimes a park will allow early check-in, however Valley View RV had been booked solid and so we pulled over at a Love’s Truck Stop just down the road and waited a couple hours for our site to become available.
Valley View RV Park is a charming and older park at the outskirts of Ely, NV. Our site #42 was a back-in, full hook-up space at the edge of a large grassy central area and under some beautiful old shade trees. The level spot had a picnic table and a paver style patio for our chairs. The bathrooms (4 private individual rooms with shower) and laundry were located in the office building. The facilities were clean and well maintained. “Bob” the manager was working on-site almost 24/7 and kept us informed when the power went out during a very strong thunderstorm. He was always cheerful and efficient. From our campsite, we could hear a little highway noise and an occasional train, but nothing disturbing. We enjoyed our stay as we explored Ely and would highly recommend Valley View RV Park.
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Next up…the exotic State Parks of Eastern Nevada
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