Belmont - Nevada Ghost Town

BELMONT

NAME: Belmont
COUNTY: Nye
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 5
CLIMATE: Mild Winter, warm summer.
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Anytime.

COMMENTS: Just south of S.R. 50, semi-ghost.
REMAINS: A few buildings. A bed and breakfast has opened in the old stone Combination Mining Company's headquarters. The two-story brick courthouse is still standing and is slowly being restored. Also, the town has four magnificent mill ruins, including the Combination,built in the 1860s, which still boats its 100' brick stack. Out of the more than 2,000 ghost towns I have visited and written one, Belmont stands out as one of the best! (Shawn Hall).

After about 20 years of life, Belmont died. But while it lived, it enjoyed life to the fullest. Born about 1865, Belmont produced $15 million of silver and lead ore before its demise. It also was the seat of Nye County. Not every mining town could boast of its palatial Music Hall where stars of the entertainment stage would perform. But Belmont could. The building was called the "Cosmopolitan." The town is deserted now but enough remains to make a visit very interesting. Belmont is on highway 82, just east of Manhattan. Submitted by Henry Chenoweth. Along state highway 82 in Nye County is Belmont where in the year 1874 two strangers, Charlie McIntyre and Jack Walker, drifted into town. Soon after their arrival McIntyre and Walker had an altercation with a local citizen, H.H. Sutherland. A gunfight erupted and Sutherland was wounded. The two strangers were arrested and jailed, escaped, and recaptured two days later. Later that night a vigilante group arrived. The sheriff and his deputy were overcome and tied up by the mob that proceeded to lynch both McIntyre and Walker in the basement of the jail. The next day both bodies were taken were taken to a spot near the cemetery on the road to San Antone and buried in a common grave. Visitors to the quaint desert community are drawn to the ruins of the old two-story courthouse and the picturesque ruins of the Cosmopolitan Hotel. Belmont is said to be the queen of Nye County’s ghost towns. It all began in October of 1865 when an Indian discovered a rich deposit of silver in the Toquima Mountains. Toquima means “beautiful mountains.” By the beginning of 1866, a full-scale rush had begun. By 1867, Belmont is credited with having a population of 10,000 although 4,000 is a better estimate. The Belmont boom drained the population from many nearby towns including Ione, the county seat. It wasn’t long before Belmont became the new county seat. Construction began on a large two-story brick building that was to house the courthouse. It was completed in 1874. The post office opened in 1867. In 1868, there were over 100 businesses in town including hotels, restaurants, a National Bank, and many others including saloons. Belmont’s early years were very successful. Six mills operated in and around Belmont during its peak years. Newspapers were an important part of the town’s existence. There were three of them. Belmont was not always peaceful. There were a number of murders and even several lynchings. After a bit of a slow down from 1868 to 1873, Belmont received a big boost when a number of rich new deposits were found in several existing mines. But in 1878, signs began to appear that perhaps Belmont had seen its best days. Beginning in 1880, mining equipment began to move to newer locations and by 1885 only limited activity was taking place. And by 1889 many of Belmont’s businesses and most of its residents had left. The final concession of defeat came from the Belmont’s last surviving newspaper, the Belmont Currier, when it ceased publication on March 2, 1901. Belmont itself remains an incredible site. Although a number of newer homes have been built mainly by residents of Tonopah and Las Vegas, the grand beauty of “old” Belmont shines through. Plan on spending a day or two to completely tour Belmont. It will be time well spent. But load up on necessary supplies such as food and gasoline. They are not available at the site. Belmont Courtesy Paul and Mary Hamilton Belmont Courtesy Paul and Mary Hamilton Belmont Courtesy Paul and Mary Hamilton Belmont Courtesy Paul and Mary Hamilton Belmont Courtesy Paul and Mary Hamilton Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele Dirty Dicks Belmont Saloon Courtesy Dolores Steele Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele - Belmont Monitor Inn Saloon and Steakhouse Courtesy Dolores Steele	Belmont Courtesy Cat Evans Belmont Courtesy Cat Evans Belmont Courtesy Paul and Mary Hamilton Belmont Courtesy Paul and Mary Hamilton Belmont Courtesy Paul and Mary Hamilton Belmont Courtesy Paul and Mary Hamilton Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele Nye County Courthouse -- 1867 to 1905 -- Building had no "Central Heating" rooms were heated by stoves connected to many chimneys -- even jail in rear had it own stove and chimney. Courtesy Dolores Steele Ruins of jail in rear of Courthouse. Courtesy Dolores Steele Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele Belmont Courtesy Dolores Steele

After about 20 years of life, Belmont died. But while it lived, it enjoyed life to the fullest. Born about 1865, Belmont produced $15 million of silver and lead ore before its demise. It also was the seat of Nye County. Not every mining town could boast of its palatial Music Hall where stars of the entertainment stage would perform. But Belmont could. The building was called the "Cosmopolitan." The town is deserted now but enough remains to make a visit very interesting. Belmont is on highway 82, just east of Manhattan. Submitted by Henry Chenoweth.

Along state highway 82 in Nye County is Belmont where in the year 1874 two strangers, Charlie McIntyre and Jack Walker, drifted into town. Soon after their arrival McIntyre and Walker had an altercation with a local citizen, H.H. Sutherland. A gunfight erupted and Sutherland was wounded. The two strangers were arrested and jailed, escaped, and recaptured two days later. Later that night a vigilante group arrived. The sheriff and his deputy were overcome and tied up by the mob that proceeded to lynch both McIntyre and Walker in the basement of the jail. The next day both bodies were taken were taken to a spot near the cemetery on the road to San Antone and buried in a common grave. Visitors to the quaint desert community are drawn to the ruins of the old two-story courthouse and the picturesque ruins of the Cosmopolitan Hotel.

Belmont is said to be the queen of Nye County’s ghost towns. It all began in October of 1865 when an Indian discovered a rich deposit of silver in the Toquima Mountains. Toquima means “beautiful mountains.” By the beginning of 1866, a full-scale rush had begun. By 1867, Belmont is credited with having a population of 10,000 although 4,000 is a better estimate. The Belmont boom drained the population from many nearby towns including Ione, the county seat. It wasn’t long before Belmont became the new county seat. Construction began on a large two-story brick building that was to house the courthouse. It was completed in 1874. The post office opened in 1867. In 1868, there were over 100 businesses in town including hotels, restaurants, a National Bank, and many others including saloons. Belmont’s early years were very successful. Six mills operated in and around Belmont during its peak years. Newspapers were an important part of the town’s existence. There were three of them. Belmont was not always peaceful. There were a number of murders and even several lynchings. After a bit of a slow down from 1868 to 1873, Belmont received a big boost when a number of rich new deposits were found in several existing mines. But in 1878, signs began to appear that perhaps Belmont had seen its best days. Beginning in 1880, mining equipment began to move to newer locations and by 1885 only limited activity was taking place. And by 1889 many of Belmont’s businesses and most of its residents had left. The final concession of defeat came from the Belmont’s last surviving newspaper, the Belmont Currier, when it ceased publication on March 2, 1901. Belmont itself remains an incredible site. Although a number of newer homes have been built mainly by residents of Tonopah and Las Vegas, the grand beauty of “old” Belmont shines through. Plan on spending a day or two to completely tour Belmont. It will be time well spent. But load up on necessary supplies such as food and gasoline. They are not available at the site.

Belmont
Courtesy Paul and Mary Hamilton

Belmont
Courtesy Dolores Steele

Dirty Dicks Belmont Saloon
Courtesy Dolores Steele

Belmont
Courtesy Dolores Steele

- Belmont Monitor Inn Saloon and Steakhouse
Courtesy Dolores Steele

Belmont
Courtesy Cat Evans

Belmont
Courtesy Paul and Mary Hamilton

Belmont
Courtesy Dolores Steele

Nye County Courthouse -- 1867 to 1905 -- Building had no "Central Heating" rooms were heated by stoves connected to many chimneys -- even jail in rear had it own stove and chimney.
Courtesy Dolores Steele

Ruins of jail in rear of Courthouse.
Courtesy Dolores Steele

Belmont
Courtesy Dolores Steele

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