Clifford Nevada
Clifford Nevada Overview
Clifford was a mining district located in Nye County, Nevada, and later known as Helena.
Learn more about Ghost Town in Nevada and Ghost Towns in the Southwest.
Year Established/Founded
1905
Clifford Nevada History
I have a reference that the ore was discovered in 1905 by John Peavine and named for brothers James and Edward M Clifford. (Their sister, Ellen, discovered a ledge that later became the mining district of Ellendale.) Most other references state that the ore was discovered by James and Ed in October 1905.
The USGS has a comment in the history section that states: Mining camp peaked in 1908 w/100 houses & tents. PO was known as Helena.
The town included saloons, a dance hall, a store, boarding houses, and a stage line to Tonopah. It was later known as Helena and the post office was active from 1908 – 1909.
Western Gold Corporation acquired the Clifford properties in 1925 and the mines were operated intermittently by the company and by lessees until 1946.
Timeline
- October 1905 – Ore was discovered
- November 1905 – The mining district was established
- 1906 – 1907 – Considerable activity
- 1908 – Population peaked and the camp started to decline
- 1908 – The post office opened
- 1909 – The post office closed
- 1925 – 1946 – Western Gold Corporation acquired the properties and were operated intermittently by the company and by lessees
Mines
Arsenic, gold, and silver.
Produced about $500,000.
Railroads
Unknown at this time.
Post Office
Helena (1908 – 1909)
View the list and history of Nevada Post Offices.
Newspaper
None
Learn more about Nevada Newspapers
The Population of Clifford Nevada
Unknown at this time.
Elevation
6,172′
Location
Information from resources:
- 35 miles east of Tonopah
- E side of Stone Cabin Valley, just SSE of Clifford Mine
- The Clifford district is confined to the area of the Clifford Mine in section 3, T3N, R49E. The district includes a small hill that lies at the edge of Stone Cabin Valley, about two miles northwest of the margin of the northern Kawich Range and about 1 mile south of U.S. Highway 6.
- The Clifford district is confined to a small area surrounding the Clifford Mine in the northeast quarter of Section 3, Township 3 North, Range 49 F.ast, Nye County. The district includes a small hill which lies at the edge of Stone cabin Valley about two miles northwest of the margin of the northern Kawich Range. Workings of the Clifford Mine cover most of the hill; the workings are about one and three quarters miles south of U.S. HighWQ.y 6 and can easily be seen from the highway.
GPS Coordinates
38° 8′ 15.77″ N, 116° 28′ 41.20″ W
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Photos and Videos

References Used
- Paher, Stanley (1970), Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps, Howell-North Books, page 345
- Tingley, Joseph V., Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Report 47 – Mining Districts of Nevada, page 56
- United States Geological Survey – Clifford Mining District
- United States Geological Survey – Helena Mining District