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Photos courtesy of Mike Sinnwell  September 2005

Berlin Nevada Townsite - Ghost town

This is probably my favorite Ghost town in Nevada. I say that with hesitation as I have many more to visit in Nevada. What impressed me was Nevada’s effort to preserve and restore the site. When talking to one on the rangers, he indicated that every year they find more artifacts while building the fire breaks around the site. By the way they use convict labor to accomplish that task.

A small group of prospectors discovered silver in Union Canyon in May, 1863. They formed a mining district a year later and called it The Union Mining District. The Berlin mine waited over 30 years to be established in 1896. The mine and surrounding claims were finally purchased by the Nevada Company in 1898 and then the town took off. By 1908 it was at the height of its popularity. During its heyday, Berlin and its Union suburbs supported 200-250 people including miners, woodcutters, charcoal makers, a doctor and nurse, a forest ranger and a prostitute.  That heyday did not last long as by 1911 things were dying or dead.