Columbus, Nevada
Encyclopedia
Columbus was a borax mining boom town in Esmeralda County
. Its remnants are located on the edge of the Columbus Salt Marsh.
was discovered near the town's site, and as a result Columbus increased substantially in its importance. Shortly after the discovery of borax by William Troop four borax companies were actively working the deposits on the marsh. Columbus' zenith occurred around 1875 when there was around 1,000 people in the town. By that same year many businesses flourished in Columbus as well as a post office and local newspaper, The Borax Miner. By 1881 borax mining activity had practically ceased and approximately 100 people were left in the community. Shortly thereafter, all mining and milling operations completely ceased.
Esmeralda County, Nevada
Esmeralda County is a county in the west of U.S. state of Nevada. Its county seat is Goldfield. Its 2000 census population was officially 971, making its population density 0.1045 inhabitants/km² , the second-lowest of any county-equivalent outside of Alaska. As of 2010, the population had...
. Its remnants are located on the edge of the Columbus Salt Marsh.
History
Settlement came to the Columbus Salt Marsh in 1865 with the raising of a quartz mill. Columbus was the ideal location for a mill, as it was the only stop for several miles with sufficient amounts of water for the operation of a mill. It wasn't until 1871 that boraxBorax
Borax, also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate, is an important boron compound, a mineral, and a salt of boric acid. It is usually a white powder consisting of soft colorless crystals that dissolve easily in water.Borax has a wide variety of uses...
was discovered near the town's site, and as a result Columbus increased substantially in its importance. Shortly after the discovery of borax by William Troop four borax companies were actively working the deposits on the marsh. Columbus' zenith occurred around 1875 when there was around 1,000 people in the town. By that same year many businesses flourished in Columbus as well as a post office and local newspaper, The Borax Miner. By 1881 borax mining activity had practically ceased and approximately 100 people were left in the community. Shortly thereafter, all mining and milling operations completely ceased.