Poeville, Nevada
Encyclopedia
Poeville, also known as Peavine until 1863, is the site of a historical mining town, established in 1864. John Poe
, a professional promoter from Michigan allegedly related to Edgar Allan Poe
, discovered rich gold
and silver
veins in 1862 on the slopes of Peavine Mountain
. After the discovery of ore, Poe announced that the veins comprised next Comstock Lode
; he presented extracted ore at the state fair of 1864 as rich in content. As a result, the former mining camp, called Poe City (Poeville) or Podunk
(Poedunk), grew to 200 people by 1864. Ore production in the mining district and population peaked around 1873-1874 with several hundred people living in town, supported by three hotels and a post office. The post office, named "Poeville", operated between September 1, 1874, and March 24, 1878.
The smelting of the sulfide-rich ores with the primitive technology of the time directly at town was difficult, and also water resources were scarce. Situation improved in 1866, when the extracted ore was freighted to smelters by wagon to Cisco, California
, and, after the Central Pacific Railroad
, by rail to Sacramento, California
. Income from the mines was low, for the extracted ore was rich not in gold, but in copper. Mining activity rapidly slowed, then ceased altogether in the late 1870s. By 1880, only 15 people remained in town. Nothing can be seen today of the former town. Several small mining operations were being done near the town site since that time.
John Poe
John Poe is the name of:* John P. Poe, Sr. , American jurist & politician* Johnny Poe , American football coach* John Poe was a prospector, and in 1870s founded the mining town Poeville, Nevada...
, a professional promoter from Michigan allegedly related to Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
, discovered rich gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
veins in 1862 on the slopes of Peavine Mountain
Peavine Mountain
Peavine Mountain is a mountain located in Washoe County Nevada, at the northwest corner of the Truckee Meadows, forming one of the most dominant geographical features in the Reno/Sparks area...
. After the discovery of ore, Poe announced that the veins comprised next Comstock Lode
Comstock Lode
The Comstock Lode was the first major U.S. discovery of silver ore, located under what is now Virginia City, Nevada, on the eastern slope of Mount Davidson, a peak in the Virginia Range. After the discovery was made public in 1859, prospectors rushed to the area and scrambled to stake their claims...
; he presented extracted ore at the state fair of 1864 as rich in content. As a result, the former mining camp, called Poe City (Poeville) or Podunk
Podunk
In American English, Podunk, podunk, or Podunk Hollow denotes or describes a place of small size or "in the middle of nowhere", and is often used in the upper case as a placeholder name in a context of dismissing significance or importance....
(Poedunk), grew to 200 people by 1864. Ore production in the mining district and population peaked around 1873-1874 with several hundred people living in town, supported by three hotels and a post office. The post office, named "Poeville", operated between September 1, 1874, and March 24, 1878.
The smelting of the sulfide-rich ores with the primitive technology of the time directly at town was difficult, and also water resources were scarce. Situation improved in 1866, when the extracted ore was freighted to smelters by wagon to Cisco, California
Cisco, California
Cisco is an unincorporated community in Placer County, California. Cisco is located on the Southern Pacific Railroad, south-southwest of Cisco Grove. It lies at an elevation of 5938 feet ....
, and, after the Central Pacific Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
, by rail to Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. Income from the mines was low, for the extracted ore was rich not in gold, but in copper. Mining activity rapidly slowed, then ceased altogether in the late 1870s. By 1880, only 15 people remained in town. Nothing can be seen today of the former town. Several small mining operations were being done near the town site since that time.
Geography
Poeville, according to the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, was situated on the flat area to the right on Peavine Road, where the road turns up a switchback to the left (latitude: 39.591221, longitude: -119.906137).See also
- Gold mining in NevadaGold mining in NevadaGold mining in Nevada, a state of the United States, is a major industry, and one of the largest sources of gold in the world. Nevada currently mines 79% of all the gold in the United States, which is equivalent to in 2009. Total gold production from Nevada recorded from 1835 to 2008 totals ,...
- Silver mining in NevadaSilver mining in NevadaSilver mining in Nevada, a state of the United States, began in 1858 with the discovery of the Comstock Lode, the first major silver-mining district in the United States. Nevada calls itself the "Silver State." In 2006, Nevada was the nation's second-largest producer of silver, after...
- Gold mining in the United StatesGold mining in the United StatesGold mining in the United States has taken place continually since the discovery of gold at the Reed farm in North Carolina in 1799. The first documented occurrence of gold was in Virginia in 1782...
- List of ghost towns in Nevada