Many of Nevada's liveliest towns started off as mining towns in the late 19th century. Although a handful of towns grew into the metropolises that they are today, a majority of mining towns did not have the same happy ending. Many towns, like the one featured here, simply perished. In this case, some of these old mining camps seemed destined for tragedy. The Delamar ghost town is known today for its deadly history, which earned it the crude nickname "The Widowmaker." You can explore the remains of this ghost town in Nevada today and experience its creepiness for yourself.
Our state definitely has its fair share of ghost towns but this one, in particular, has a sad and disturbing history. The story of Delamar, Nevada isn't widely known, but it's a tale that any ghost town or history enthusiast should know.
Delamar came into existence in 1889 when two prospectors, John Ferguson and Joseph Sharp, discovered gold around Monkeywrench Wash. A mining camp was established and soon a newspaper publication and post office opened.
Delamar experienced its heyday from 1895 to 1900. It was during this time that the town was the primary ore producer of Nevada. The town boasted more than 3,000 residents by 1897! Things were certainly off to a good start.
However, it wouldn't be long until it was apparent that ore production came at a price. Delamar's mine became notorious for the high number of deaths associated with it. In fact, the high death rate earned the town its nickname of "The Widowmaker".
Delamar's mine was especially deadly because of the large amounts of silica dust created by ore production. The dust would settle into the lungs of both miners and townspeople, causing a condition known as silicosis.
Silicosis was extremely deadly, especially in those days. Legend has it that at one time, over 400 widows lived in Delamar. However, silicosis wasn't the only tragedy this town suffered.
The entire town was almost completely destroyed by a fire that took place in 1900. This event, coupled with the fact that production was slowing in the mine, led the mine owner to sell off his interest in the mines.
Delamar's operation would come to a close in 1909. The site reopened briefly from 1929 to 1934, but few reminders of the once bustling town remain today. Today, you might see some partially crumbled structures and mining foundations, and the sight of wild horses roaming in the distance.
Did you know the sinister story behind the Delamar ghost town? It certainly had a tragic history. For more creepy destinations like this one you can gas up the car and take our road trip through the many ghost towns of Nevada. If you can't get enough of feeling that chill creep up your spine, we recommend our road trip through the many fascinating abandoned places in Nevada.
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