Palmetto, Nevada is a ghost town in Esmeralda County, in the U.S. state of Nevada.

Palmetto, Nevada
Palmetto is located in Nevada
Palmetto
Palmetto
Palmetto is located in the United States
Palmetto
Palmetto
Coordinates: 37°26′40″N 117°41′41″W / 37.44444°N 117.69472°W / 37.44444; -117.69472
Country United States
State Nevada
CountyEsmeralda
Named forNamed by South Carolina prospectors for their native state.[1]
Elevation1,883 m (6,178 ft)
GNIS feature ID849699[2]

History

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Tent business in Palmetto, 1906

Palmetto was founded and established in 1866, when three prospectors discovered silver deposits north of the site. The miners named the camp Palmetto, mistakenly thinking that nearby Joshua trees were a relative of the palmetto tree. A 12-stamp mill was built at the settlement, but not enough silver ore was mined to keep the mill running.[3]

Although the town was abandoned at a year later, a revival occurred in 1906 when mines were reopened. People and businesses rushed back to town. Over 200 tents were put up on a town site one-half mile (0.8 km) west of Palmetto. A commercial street was laid out with: stores, markets, feed yards, restaurants, lumber companies, saloons and doctors' offices. The mines soon declined, and in the autumn of 1906, miners abandoned the town.[3]

In 1920, another revival occurred, and a mill was built. The town eventually declined. All that stands today are the remains of old buildings.[4]

The Palmetto post office was active from April 24, 1888 until June 7, 1894 and from December 16, 1905 until December 31, 1907.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Carlson, Helen S. (1974). Nevada Place Names: A Geographical Dictionary. University of Nevada Press. p. 186. ISBN 9780874170948. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  2. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Palmetto, Nevada
  3. ^ a b Paher, Stanley (1970). Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps. Howell North. p. 412.
  4. ^ "Palmetto: Nevada Ghost Town". Ghosttowns.com. Retrieved July 13, 2012.