Reeves Nevada

Reeves Nevada

Reeves Nevada Overview

There is not a lot to be found in this ghost town of Reeves (later renamed Delamar), which is located in Lincoln County, Nevada.

In April 1892 a third camp, Reeves, was established in the Ferguson District that was located one and a half miles south of another ghost town named Helene. Named after one of the original discoverers of the Jim Crow-Monitor claims, Reeves.

Approximately two dozen workers were part of the initial population until mid-1894 (April to June timeframe) when the population grew to approximately 250 diverse residents comprised of all ages, both sexes, and multiple nationalities. The town was renamed Delamar in honor of Captain Delamar in June 1894.

The camp grew fast from a small temporary tent camp for the April Fool miners to a mining town almost overnight.

Excerpt from referenced source:

Miners, businessmen, and hucksters of all types hastened to the camp. Tents were thrown up to house the newcomers, with more substantial frame structures following as materials became available. The local sawmill could not cut and finish building lumber quickly enough to meet the demand, despite several crews of 10 men each. Buildings were scattered over the narrow valley between the hillsides, at any nearly level spot available. Main Street ran east-west along a slope just south of the mines and was soon lined with false front frame mercantiles, saloons, drug stores, and small specialty shops. New streets and roads soon branched off Main Street, connecting additional residential housing, Chinese laundries, brothels, and a Native American camp which appeared in the gulch southwest of the town. The Captain paid an inspection visit to his new acquisitions on June 7, 1894, “…arriving by private conveyance…from Desert [Springs, Utah] by way of Panaca in 11 hours 11 (De Lamar Lode 6/18/1894:1). A week after this visit, the “Reeves” name was dropped in favor of “DeLamar” and a request made for a post office under the new name. On June 15, 1894, The Lode returned to the Ferguson District, to become the De Lamar Lode.

In the spring of 1894, Helene suffered a major depopulation, as merchants and residents moved to the now booming camp at Reeves. Captain J. De La Mar had recently acquired the Jim Crow-Monitor claims and was actively developing the new DeLaMar Nevada Company properties. Many of the wood frame structures in Helene were dismantled by their owners and hauled south to Reeves (renamed DeLamar in honor of the Captain in June, 1894).

I found the following newspaper clipping that COULD be the Reeves the camp was named for. (Digging for more information to verify and we will update once we have found more information.)

Transcription of the article:

THE PIOCHE DAILY RECORD

Desperate Shooting Affray

From the Sentinel of Nov. 13th, we learn that a serious shooting affray occurred the night before at about 8 o’clock in front of Frank’s saloon. There were various rumors afloat on the streets regarding the particulars of the difficulty, but from the best sources the Sentinel collected the following facts:

About half-past 7 o’clock in the evening, Sam Turner walked into Frank’s saloon, and soon after entering noticed a difficulty between a man by the name of Crow and one C. E. Reeves. After a few exciting words the two parties came to blows, and Turner among others, interfered to separate them. He caught hold of Reeves and tried to prevent him from fighting, but Reeves pulled him outside the door, and immediately on releasing him, pulled out a pistol and commenced firing. Two shots were fired by Reeves, when Turner drew his pistol and fired one shot, the ball striking Reeves in the right thigh and ranging downward. The ball, after passing through the thigh longed in the left knee producing a painful, but not dan-gtTou wound. The principal injury, however, was received by a stone mason named Jasp.-r J. Goff, who, at the time, was endeavoring to escape from the vicinity of the shooting, but was struck by a stray shot supposed to have been fired from Reeves’ pistol. Walter E. Price, better known in this town as “Kansas.” was also struck in the left knee, the leg being quite badly shattered. G iff was shot in the small of the back, about two inches to the left of the spinal column. Dr. Connolly, who was called in, attempted to probe the wound, but was unable to find the ball. It is supposed that it has entered the abdomen. He is suffering great pain, and his wound is considered mortal. Turner was arrested and lodged in jail. We are unable to say at present to whom the blame is to be laid of shooting innocent parties in the public streets, but the matter will be fully investigated tomorrow by the proper court. Reeves is also under arrest, but in order to have proper treatment of his wounds was permitted to remain last night at the International Hotel.

References Used

• Ferris, Dawna Eileen. The Best of Times, The Worst of Times: A Bio-Cultural Analysis of the Ferguson District, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Reeves Nevada