I found a ghost town on an old mining map from 1887

So I got this map of Nevada from an estate sale last month, paid like $15 for it. I was just looking at the old mining claims near Tonopah when I noticed a tiny dot labeled 'Queen City' that's not on any modern map I can find. Spent 2 hours cross-referencing it with Google Earth and USGS records, and there's literally nothing there now except some foundation stones. Has anyone else run into a town that just vanished off the face of the earth like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

baker.simon24d ago

Man I'd probably get lost trying to find a ghost town that doesn't exist anymore... I once spent an entire afternoon looking for a place called "Gravel Pit" on a map from the 1930s and all I found was a sad patch of dirt and my own growing embarrassment. Queen City sounds like the kind of place where the only thing left is the name and maybe a rusty nail if you're lucky. You should totally go poke around those foundation stones though, sometimes you find old bottles or coins if the ground hasn't been picked clean. Just don't do what I did and forget to bring water because you were too excited about the map... ended up drinking from a muddy puddle like some kind of fool. Nevada is full of those little forgotten spots that just faded away when the mines dried up.

john_sullivan224d ago

@baker.simon At least you found dirt, I once spent hours hunting a ghost town that turned out to be a gas station parking lot.

robert24824d ago

Honestly, that's the most Nevada thing I've ever heard. Ngl, I've done the same thing with a few "historic mining camps" that turned out to be nothing but a pile of gravel and a busted tire. Tbh, maps from the 30s are basically just suggestions, not guarantees. You gotta respect the hustle though, driving hours for a gas station parking lot is commitment.