Gold Hill Nevada not only boast the oldest hotel in the state but it was once home to 8,000 to this community that was incorporated in 1862 to prevent Virginia City from annexing it. The hotel which is the main attraction was built in 1859 and today is one of the most haunted locations in the state. I did not investigate the hotel but I spent sometime visiting it as we hiked the the town on foot visiting sites such as the Train Depot, Bank Of California, Yellow Jacket Mine,  Various Ruins and even a few cemeteries on the outskirts of town.

Gold Hill resides between Virginia City and Silver City on a lonely dark road surrounded by mines and eerie historic structures.  Its an eerie little place at night not very well lit and you can feel a presence of the dead here. Some locations I choose but their are other locations that chose me. This will be an area we work with time to time its on our home turf. :)

The reason why this community thrived is that a rich silver ore was present. Thus the Yellow Jacket, Crown Point and Belcher mines brought in over 10 million dollars.  I had an opportunity to visit the Yellow Jacket what a very eerie mill and mine. I have not investigated it but I have respect for these historical sites and we hope here at The Paranormal & Ghost Society that we can bring on some sort of preservation to these sites. 

Allot of the residents who lived in Gold HIll in the 1800s were Cornish and this area was one of there largest settlements. Many Cornish are buried in the cemetery atop of the hill. Its truely a pioneer wonder and you as viewers will have the opportunity to see some of these sites. We want to bring the Wild West to life and where there is none will bring it like its Big Mammas House lol.

What is even more odd about Gold Hill is that it never was a town at all yet its classified as a ghost town. Sure their are ruins and abandoned historic sites scattered about but what is more intriguing is the train yard. Not just the train yard but the liberty bell and historic homes that now can be rented for a nice evening of ghostly fun. I wouldnt mind renting a haunted cottage brew some coffee read some paranormal news now that is living! :)

The community reached its peak between 1868 and 1888 by mining the Comstock. Strangely what is more ironic is that Silver City was laid out as a town the moment a gold nuggest was discovered near Devil's Gate. However Gold Hill never came a town nor city yet was much richer in Silver.  Today there are only a couple hundred residents as opposed to its 8000 a century ago.  In 1943 the post office closed down which is never a good sign in any town period. Once the post office goes so does the rest of the town seriously no joke look at American Western History!

While mining transpired here it was mainly a milling town and food was imported on in from Dixie Valley and Stillwater Nevada. Gold Hill was not a ranching town therefore livestock, beef and crops grown were brought in from other local ranching towns. Living in Gold Canyon was isolated and most men who worked in these mills often went deaf from the stamps or had gotten poisoned from being exposed to mercury during ore processing.

Below in gray is a story I found that just gives our viewers a bit of perspective of what life was like in Gold Hill. Some folks became rich lived a very bustling life filled with mansion parties and luxories. But when the town died and the value of gold fell some lost everything they worked so hard to build. Gold Hill was a place of happiness and for some sadness struck these are their tales. Our site wants you to remember how special every location is to our team and society. The tale was clipped from: AllTahoe.com

The favorite tale about the Hill concerned an Allison Orrum, a Scottish born young teenage immigrant to the new found lands of the United States. According to legend and history, Allison married a Stephen Hunter in a Mormon Church in Nauvoo, Illinois, but as Allison would discover that marriage in the Mormon faith at the time allowed for polygamy or bigamy as it was called then. Unable to accept the presence of another woman sharing her husband and his bed, she quickly divorced him and went in search of better prospects. She then married an Alexander Cowan, and spent her time living in Salt Lake City until their Mormon leaders sent settlers to colonize an area that surrounded Genoa, Nevada. Yet another husband was dumped. However, she followed a group to Gold Hill and quickly remarried, taking the hand of Sandy Bowers.

Allison and her husband became very wealthy. They built a mansion in the mining facility and even furnished it luxurious things from Europe. However, Sandy preferred the company of his drinking buddies in the local saloons. Then one fateful day in 1868, he died (age 35). As her fortunes took a nose dive, she was forced to sell everything, dying a lonely and destitute woman in 1903. Today all that remains of her world is now a county park, where her house still stands, as do her gardens. Her grave and that of an adopted child still sit silently on the hill behind the house.

Today one of the most popular spots is the park. Most do not venture beyond that, and the majority of visitors are locals. However, the house is open daily to one and all. The preserved remains of a once wealthy home are all that is left of Allison, the community, the saloons and all that made the mining facility what it once was.

Gold Hill was one of the largest towns in Nevada as Las Vegas didnt exist but towns around the Comstock did and there is history in these mountains.  Sure you had your booms but the government really put a damper on the rules such as putting the Federal Treasury on gold as silver barons went broke over night. However despite the damper the mines and mills continued to thrive at times. As you can see from the black and white photographs Gold Hill like Silver City was an industrial powerhouse.  When WWII came around the town truly began to die men went off to war mining stopped and people were broke.

In 1976 a Bob Gray ex Marine Corps photographer purchased a portion of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad. He had track lined all the way to Gold Hill where a small train yard surrounds its historic depot. During my visit here there were various train cars on the tracks. That is the awesome thing about Gold Hill you can smoke a joint sit in the lush gardens where a historic house once stood or you could get on the train enjoying the beautiful scenery that surrounds this area which includes wild horses trust me I have been up close to them. They are beautiful creatures never feed them just enjoy from afar what mother nature has to offer you. 

Today some mining goes on and other mining is done so that the rocks can be used to landscape the town. I enjoy this place its magical and for someone who loves to explore this place does not compare to anywhere else in the world. Gold Hill is worth more then gold itself and thus many secrets are found all over these hills which once were part of the Comstock Lode.

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Lord Rick

Founder, Author, Talk Show Host and Producer