Shoshone Nevada History

Shoshone Nevada History and Photos


SHOSHONE -
15 and one-half miles southeast of US 93, 4 miles south of its junction with US 50 and 6; 37 miles southeast of Ely.
A post office and school known as Shoshone were located about 1½ miles north of Minerva. Two old log cabins, a turn of the century house and a newer home can be seen today on this private ranch. The site is now called the Shoshone Ranch. During the duration of nearby Minerva, miner's children attended school at Shoshone.

The Swallow Brothers owned the Ranch. Ranch buildings exist today besides the buildings shown in the pictures below. This property raises large amounts of hay and has an extensive watering system to water the crop. The hay is then baled in ton rolls and stored in various places on the ranch property.

Silver was discovered in this area in 1869 but separating it from the gangue rock was difficult because of an heavy white mineral which was found within the silver ore. This substance was much later identified as scheelite, an ore containing tungsten. World War I created a demand for tungsten to harden steel. When the war was over, demand disappeared and tungsten mining in the area ceased until the 1930's. Some activity took place in the 1950's.

During the depression, Paul Sirkegian, Consolidated Copper Company's General Superintendent at Kimberly, Nevada, organized the incorporation of the Tungsten Metals Corporation to mine and mill the tungsten in the Minerva Mining District. This company built the townsite of Minerva on land sold to them by the Swallow Brothers.

The large spring and pond located in the stand of tall trees just to the west of the townsite of Minerva owned by the Shoshone Ranch provided the domestic and mill water for that small village.

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