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Deerlodge Nevada

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Deerlodge Nevada » Deerlodge Nevada

Deerlodge Nevada

Deerlodge is a historical mining community located in Lincoln, Nevada, Nevada. The history of Deerlodge revolves around the discovery of silver, lead, and other valuable minerals in the area.

Deerlodge Nevada Overview

Remnants of old mining relics, intact buildings, Hackett Ranch, and an old cemetery were used by residents of Deerlodge in Lincoln, Nevada.

Deerlodge included four saloons, a barbershop, a general store, a post office, bunkhouses for the miners, and a stage service.

We will add more details once we have documented the area.

Learn more about Ghost Towns in Nevada and Ghost Towns in the Southwest.

Managed By

Most of the area is privately owned.

Deerlodge Nevada Map
The Nevada-Utah Line in 1897. Map from Special Collections, University of Nevada Reno Library. 

Deerlodge Nevada History

Deerlodge and Fay Deerlodge made headlines in 1896 when the main section of the town burned down. But a year later Deerlodge was home to about 100 people, with a saloon, livery, and a general store. A post office soon followed.

In 1899, more promising discoveries were made about 1 ½ mile to the south, and activity shifted to what became the new town of Fay.

Fay prospered until mining ended in 1914.

George Moody, one of the leading citizens in the Eagle Valley District, was among the first successful prospectors. He helped write the district bylaws and served as a recorder for fourteen years. His family opened a general store in Deerlodge and later moved the store to Fay. Moody also served as a deputy sheriff, school trustee, postmaster, and local census taker for the 1900 Census.

Edward Herbert Hackett began prospecting in the Deerlodge area in 1896. He was involved in a number of mining operations, including the Homestake Mine. The Hacketts built a log home in Deerlodge, where the family continued cattle ranching once the mines had shut down.

Veronica DeVany Elliott described the Deerlodge School, where she took a teaching position for the 1926-1927 school year. Mr. Everest Hackett had been looking for someone to open a school there because they had managed to get 5 children together—that’s what it took to [open a school then]. So they let me know and I went up to Deerlodge to teach. The Deerlodge school was a two-room log building, with blackboards salvaged from the abandoned Fay schoolhouse, and a bedroom in the back with a little woodstove. I really lived more in the schoolroom than I did in the bedroom. All I had in the bedroom was a bed and a small chest of drawers. It was tiny.

The Pioche Record – Pioche, Nevada · Thursday, July 23, 1896 | Deerlodge in Ashes. Deerlodge has followed in the wake of other mining towns, and has received its baptism of fire, and it now lie in ashes. Deerlodge is in the new mining district of Eagle Valley, and preparations had been made to do a great deal of work there which will now have to be suspended for the time being. The fire broke out on Wednesday the 15th inst. and is a severe blow to the mine promoters. We have received the following particulars: On Wednesday the 15th inst., a fire broke out in the office of the field Bug Mining Company, owned by Messrs. Lytles, Hammonds and Moody, which rapidly spread to the assay office on the east, the blacksmith shop on the west and to W. S. Bennett’s residence, which stood nearby, and in spite of the efforts of Mr. Bennett, he being the only one there, the whole was soon reduced to ashes. Mr. Bennet succeeded in saving most of the valuable articles, but the loss was felt keenly by the owners, as they were intending to resume work on their valuable mining property, which will be temporarily delayed. Loss $1000, no insurance.

Timeline

  • Late 1800s: Prospectors began exploring the area, and rich deposits of silver and lead were discovered.
  • May 9, 1897: The first mining claims were filed, and the town of Deerlodge was established.
  • July 23, 1896 – Fire broke out in the office of the Bug Mining Company
  • March 22, 1898 – Deerlodge Post Office opened
  • 1899 – More promising discoveries were made about 1 ½ miles to the south, and activity shifted to what became the new town of Fay.
  • October 15, 1900 – The post office closed and Fay served the surrounding area
  • 1900-1910: The town experienced rapid growth as the mining industry expanded. Several mines were developed, and a smelter was built to process the ore.
  • 1910-1920: The population of Deerlodge peaked during this period, reaching approximately 500 residents.
  • 1920s-1930s: The mining industry started to decline, and many residents left the area in search of new opportunities.
  • 1940s-1950s: Mining activity in Deerlodge slowed significantly, and the town experienced a significant population decline.
  • 1960s-present: The mining industry continued to decline, and Deerlodge became a small, unincorporated community with a few remaining residents.

Post Office

March 22, 1898, through October 15, 1900, and then the Fay post office continued serving the surrounding area until 1924.

Elevation

The elevation of Deerlodge is approximately 6,000 feet (1,828 meters) above sea level.

GPS Coordinates

The GPS coordinates for Deerlodge are approximately 37.8569° N latitude, 114.8819° W longitude.

The population of Deerlodge Nevada

The population of Deerlodge was estimated at 220 residents in 1900. 

References Used

Deerlodge