Aurum Nevada History

Aurum Nevada History and Photos

AURUM - (1871-1880's)
3 miles west-southwest of the Spring Valley road at a point 3½ miles south of the junction with Old SR 2; 40 miles northeast of Ely. It was 42 miles southeast of Cherry Creek which was its main shipping and supply point.

Ore was discovered in 1871 on the west side of the Schell Creek Range near Queen Springs and Schellbourne. The town of Aurum developed near gold mines in Silver Canyon. The Aurum Mining District includes Muncy Creek, Silver Canyon, Siegel Creek and Schellbourne in the Schell Creek Range. Spring Valley is to the east of the area and Steptoe is to the west. Ores mined in this district included silver, gold, copper, lead and manganese.

Simon Daus located most of the mines along Silver Creek and Siegel Creek in the early 1880's and Mr. Noe located the Grand Deposits in the foothills north of Muncy Creek during the same time period.

The town had two boarding houses, saloons, a blacksmith shop, store, and a ten-stamp mill. The Aurum Post Office was located at the mouth of Muncy Creek in Spring Valley below and south of the mining camp of the same name. The Post Office ceased operation in 1938. Mill ruins, building foundations and a cemetery remain.

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