Goldfield (Nevada)

Goldfield is in Southern Nevada.

Understand

A population today of around 300 belies the fact that Goldfield was once the most populated town in Nevada, at the beginning of the 20th century. This was because of gold, and the value of the extracted ore was in the millions. In its time it had a number of poignant events happen, for instance, a lightweight boxing championship match between Oscar Nelson and Joe Gans took place here as did a messy labor strike/military confrontation. It's also where the Earps came to town, Wyatt and Virgil, and where Virgil succumbed to pneumonia after becoming a deputized sheriff.

Today, in the shadow of its former self, it's almost hard to imagine this is the seat of Esmeralda County, with as small as it is.

Get in

Goldfield is situated along Hwy 95, just under 30 miles south of Tonopah.

Get around

It's pretty walkable (but most likely you will have gotten here by car).

See

Florence Hill Mines, Goldfield NV

• 1 Goldfield Visitor Center, W Crook Ave and N First St. A place to get you oriented. But don't look for Virgil's grave here in Goldfield, as he's buried in Portland, OR. (updated Oct 2021)
• 2 The International Car Forest, 1111 East Crystal Ave, ☏ +1 775 319-6383. It looks like a takeoff of the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, TX, but this spectacle has all sorts of vehicles perched in precarious positions for a most unique art project. (updated Oct 2021)
• 3 The Goldfield High School, Euclid Ave and Ramsey St, ☏ +1 775 485-3560. A piece of old dying Goldfield architecture. Something to look at. (updated Oct 2021)
• 4 Goldfield Hotel, 69-79 Columbia Ave, ☏ +1 775 250-7094. Another relic from the past, said to be haunted, as was featured in Ghost Adventures. Can only see from outside. (updated Oct 2021)

Do

• 1 Florence Mining Company Tour, Ramsey Rd, ☏ +1 702 622-1344. Tours are by appointment only, walk-ups are not accommodated. This and the Butler mine are largely what put Goldfield on the map. $20. (updated Oct 2021)

Sleep

• 1 The Goldfield Stop & Stop Inn, W 430 Crook Ave, ☏ +1 541 218-8236. A B&B as well as curio shop and repository of interesting things like a train car, housed in an old western building. (updated Oct 2021)