Often when exploring the ruins of one of Nevada’s old mining towns, it can be hard to even imagine that people lived among them so long ago. It’s one thing to see a ghost town and be amazed by what’s left of it, but it’s another thing entirely to understand what that particular town went through. That’s why this video footage of Seven Troughs is so fascinating. Not only does it show what’s left of this former mining town, but it juxtaposes images of what the town looked like during its heyday so you can get the full picture. Check out the screenshots below and be sure to view the full video at the end of the article.
Nestled away in a Pershing County mountain range, Seven Troughs was a mining town that burst to life with the discovery of gold in Seven Troughs Canyon in 1906. You'd never guess from the looks of it today, but this town showed a lot of promise during its heyday.
A YouTube channel called Ghost Towns of Nevada and California has uploaded numerous videos that give a glimpse at Nevada's most fascinating abandoned sites, including that of Seven Troughs. We highly recommend checking out more of their videos, so be sure to click through to their channel at the end of the article.
The video contrasts what is left of the town today with old photos of Seven Troughs during its most prosperous times. It's a haunting reminder of how quickly things changed back during that tumultuous era.
Just a few years after the settlement was founded, Seven Troughs was home to hundreds of people (around 350), a post office, hotel, multiple saloons, and several stores. In 1908, a water system and school were even added to the bustling mining camp!
Of course, Seven Troughs' prosperity didn't last very long. By World War I, the town's post office had closed up and only a few transient miners were left in the community. Everybody else had left, never to return.
Visiting the site today, you would never guess this area was once home to a fully-formed town. Most of the structures have long disappeared, but a few sturdy rock foundations remain.
It's a little saddening to think about what Seven Troughs might've turned into if circumstances had been slightly different, but the fact that we're still talking about this old mining town today just goes to show that the legends of Nevada's early days never truly die.
