In the 1930s, mining kept Gold Point, Nevada, at about 200 residents; by 1950, only 23 remained; and by 2011, just 7 people still lived there full time, year-round

Gold Point, Nevada, is a remote desert settlement in Esmeralda County, shaped by the rise and fall of the mining industry. What began as a small camp grew into a busy community as miners arrived in search of ore, bringing shops, saloons, homes and other businesses with them. But as the mines declined and major mining activity eventually stopped, the town’s fortunes changed. Today, its ageing wooden buildings, abandoned workings and quiet streets preserve the feel of a community built around a mineral boom.

According to a Bureau of Land Management assessment, Gold Point’s mining-driven population grew to about 200 people in the 1930s before falling to 23 by 1950. The 2011 Esmeralda County Master Plan stated that the townsite usually had only seven full-time residents. The BLM noted that the many historic vacant buildings left by the population decline later helped support a modest tourism and recreation economy.

From Lime Point to a mining camp


The site was first known as Lime Point in 1868, a name inspired by limestone found in the area. Attempts to mine silver in the late 1880s failed because the ore was difficult to refine and expensive to transport. Things changed when new discoveries were made in the wider Goldfield region. In 1908, miners discovered a high-grade ore called chlorargyrite, a silver chloride mineral commonly known as Hornsilver. The camp was renamed Hornsilver and developed the usual mining-camp features, including a newspaper, post office, stores, and saloons. More than 225 wooden buildings, tents and shacks had been built in the area. But there were several ups and downs associated with mining here. Frequent disputes over mine ownership, inefficient mining techniques and transport costs slowed development.

Gold gives the town a new lease of life

In the late 1920s, mining activity shifted towards gold. By 1930, gold production had overtaken silver, prompting the settlement to adopt the name Gold Point. The timing mattered. While the wider United States was struggling through the Great Depression, renewed mining activity helped sustain this isolated Nevada community. However, in October 1942, miners left for war-related industries, halting mining operations in Gold Point. As a result, the population began to decline. The federal Bureau of Land Management recorded that the town’s mining-supported population fell from around 200 in the 1930s to 23 in 1950.

Seven residents and a town that refuses to disappear

Mining resumed after the war, but on a smaller scale. It continued intermittently for years until a collapse in the Dunfee Shaft in the 1960s ended all mining activity. Repairing the mine cost more than the remaining ore was worth, ending mining in Gold Point. However, Gold Point did not disappear entirely. The old post office has been converted into a museum, while other buildings have been adapted for visitors. The BLM identified bed-and-breakfasts, saloons, museums, RV sites, and guided tours.

The seven-resident figure from 2011 was less a sign of abandonment than evidence of a town adapting to a new purpose. Gold Point’s population had shrunk dramatically, but its buildings, mine workings and remaining community preserved a physical link to the people who once came there seeking wealth. Gold Point shows how quickly mining can transform a place and how long its traces can remain. Although mining no longer drives the local economy, Gold Point’s buildings attract visitors interested in Nevada frontier history. What mining left behind became Gold Point’s new asset: a desert town sustained by its own history.