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Goodsprings Nevada

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Clark County Nevada Ghost Towns » Goodsprings Nevada

Goodsprings Nevada

Goodsprings Nevada Overview

Initially called Good’s Spring, it was a mining town that is located 8 miles from Jean, Nevada, and was named for cattleman Joseph “Joe” Good. (The town was named after the spring that Joe named.)

When researching old newspapers, the town is referred to as Good Springs instead of Goodsprings. Also, known as Yellow Pine, Yellowpine, Potosi, Clarke, Ivanpah, Miguel Marsh, New England, and Wheeler.

The Goodsprings Mining District got its start in 1855 when Mormons began work at the Potosí mine but the attempt failed.

Joe discovered silver in the area in 1861 and between 1868 and 1882 lead and gold were also discovered in Goodsprings. 

The early town included a three-room schoolhouse along with several saloons, a newspaper, and a general store.

The town of Goodsprings was recognized as a Nevada Historical Marker in 2009 and the Goodsprings Schoolhouse, which was constructed in 1913 and is the oldest school in Clark County, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today, Goodsprings is home to the famous Pioneer Saloon, which is considered one of the oldest saloons in Nevada.

Year Established/Founded

1855

Goodsprings Nevada History

The original Yellow Pine or Potosi district was centered around the Potosi Mine in the north part of the present Goodsprings district.

The Clarke district, centered on Clark Mountain in California, included the southern part of the present district as well as the Ivanpah area and part of the Crescent (New York) district to the south.

Averett (1962) stated New England was the name of the first district organized in the Goodsprings area.

The Wheeler District, described as being in the southern Spring Mountains, was later incorporated into the Goodsprings district.

Timeline

  • 1855 – Goodsprings Mining District established
  • 1861 – Joseph Good discovers silver ore in the area
  • 1868 – 1862 – Lead and gold were discovered in the area 
  • 1878 – Joseph Good built a hand furnace and tried to smelt some of the black copper, thinking it was silver, but soon found his mistake and moved out
  • 1893 – Keystone Mine post office opened
  • 1897 – Keystone Mine post office closed
  • 1899 – Goodsprings post office opened
  • 1913 – Goodsprings Schoolhouse constructed
  • 1913 – Historic Pioneer Saloon opened by George Fayle
  • 1915 – Peak population of 1,000 residents
  • 1916 – Hotel Fayle opened with twenty rooms with private baths and a banquet hall where local dances were held with live bands imported from Las Vegas
  • March 10, 1992 – Schoolhouse added to the National Register of Historic Places
  • 2009 – Town recognized as a Nevada Historical Marker

Mines

Over the years, lead, silver, copper, zinc, and gold have all been mined from this area.

  • Alice Mine
  • Argentina Mine
  • Belle Mine
  • Columbia Mine
  • Cosmopolitan Mine
  • Fredrickson Mine
  • Green Copper Mine
  • Hermosa Mine
  • Hoosier Mine
  • Iron gold Mine
  • Lookout Mine
  • Keystone Mine
  • Lavina Mine
  • Middlesex Mine
  • Surprise Mine
  • Table Top Mine
  • Yellow Pine

Post Office

Keystone Mine

1893 – 1897 – First post office was established 

Goodsprings Postmaster Appointments

  • Samuel E. Yount – April 6, 1899 (in Lincoln County, Nevada)
  • Norman B Price – 24 Sep 1914
  • Florence S Doherty – 3 Apr 1918
  • Irma M Burlingame – 10 Jan 1920
  • Philip H Springer – 21 Apr 1920
  • Mildred S Hardy – 11 Oct 1921
  • Frank W Hickey – 15 May 1926
  • Jess Knight – 13 Oct 1927
  • Albert F Munzebrock – 17 Jul 1928

The Population of Goodsprings Nevada

Mining reached its peak in 1915 when Goodsprings had 1,000 residents.

The 2020 US Federal Census includes 162 residents.

Nevada State Historical Category

  • LDS
  • Mining
  • Ranching/Farming

Nevada State Historical Marker Type

Blue marker

Nevada Historical Marker Number

Goodsprings Mining District is Nevada Historical Marker #102.

Click here to view the full list of Nevada State Historical Markers.

County

Clark County, Nevada

GPS Coordinates

35.172087, -114.710797

Nevada Historical Marker Transcription

Ore deposits readily recognized in the faulted and folded limestone deposits of this district remained unworked until 1856, when Mormons began work at Potosí, establishing perhaps the oldest underground mine in Nevada.

Named for cattleman Joseph Good, the open springs area was developed into the mining-ranching community of Goodsprings by A.G. Campbell.

With completion of the Los Angeles-Salt Lake Railroad in 1905 and the narrow-gauge Yellow Pine Railroad from Jean to Goodsprings in 1911, transportation costs of the local oxidized zinc minerals were reduced.  The peak year of operations was reached in 1916 when Goodsprings had 800 residents.

This district, with the greatest variety of minerals in Nevada, produced a total of $25 million, primarily in lead and zinc, with lesser amounts of gold, silver, copper, molybdenum, vanadium, nickel, cobalt, platinum, palladium, and uranium.

STATE HISTORICAL MARKER No. 102

STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE

SOUTHERN NEVADA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

References Used

Goodsprings Nevada