The Rapid Rise and Fall of the Historic Ghost Town of Rhyolite, Nevada
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ธ.ค. 2023
- Located just outside of Death Valley National Park in Nevada are the remains of the once boomtown of Rhyolite. When gold was discovered in the area, in just two years the town became the fourth largest in Nevada with millions of dollars being invested in Rhyolite. A little more than a decade later, the population was just 14.
When Rhyolite was booming, it probably seemed like the sky was the limit for the town. It had a number of newspapers, three story banks, a large schoolhouse, service from three different railroads, electricity, and even an ice cream parlor. As quickly as the town was built up though, it began to fall. The mines weren't as prosperous as advertised, and a month after the brand new $130,000 train depot opened, more people were leaving town than coming in. The town that was founded in 1905, was pretty much dead by 1910.
In this video we explore the town, visiting sites such as the school, Tom Kelly's bottle house, the Cook Bank building, the train depot, and the red light district, where we visit the false grave of Mona Bell.
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In the short 15 minutes of this video I learned more than watching hours of videos of other vlogers about this town. You are my favorite historical vloger.
Thank you. I really appreciate it.
I was about 14 when my grandfather showed me a beautiful greenish-gold hunk of rock about the size of his fist that sparkled all over and he told me that his Dad, my GGF was a young man working at the Bullfrog Mine, living in Beaty when he slipped that rock into his pocket as a souvenir of his time there. He's been gone for years now and I'm an old man myself but I'm always reminded of how hard those "Old Timers" had to work in those days. After Rhyolite my GGF went to the No Cal Coast and made a living cutting redwood railroad ties with saws and axes for 5 cents each.
I first went to Rhyolite in the very early '70's as a 10 year old kid with my Dad and my brother. A few years later, as a teen, I "accidentally" opened a Penthouse magazine and looked at a layout of a young lady posing in the ruins of Rhyolite, with one memorable photo being of her standing in the second story window of the Cook Bank Building. 😀 I was there again about 10 years ago; the art and sculpture that was there gave the place a completely different vibe. Thanks for the great video, Steve.
See, who says magazines can't teach you about history? 🤣
Strictly had that magazine for the articles 😅
@@gregoryguillen2717I always got it for the pictures
Haha "accidentally". Imagine if some other tourists showed up while that shoot was going on.
so there was still a floor on the 2nd story then? You should link the photo, purely for research!
Westmorland was my mother's cousin, black sheep of the family. He willed his Rhyolite holdings to his sister Freddie. They were from Atlanta, children of strict Baptist minister. Freddie lived in the depot and ran a little museum and gift shop when we visited.
Rhyolite has such an overwhelming sense of melancholy. To look at the old photos of it in heyday, in comparison to today is so sad. One can't help but think of the men, women, and children that lived there. The hustle and bustle of the residents going about their daily routines. The loves won and lost. The sounds of a busy city, voices and laughter, the train whistles, children playing, the occasional barking dog, now silent. No one lives there now but the ghosts of the past. Thank you for making this video.
Jack
I honestly envy the fact that you’re traveling to all these wild destinations especially here in the US. Once the kids get a little bit older I plan to travel a little more like I used but seeing all these places you’re sharing with us is really inspiring. Thank you man 🤜🏼
Not sure why you only have 120K followers. Some of the best content on TH-cam. Thanks for sharing.
I went to the town with a group of friends on a motorcycle ride in 2008. Hard to imagine a boom and bust town of this size that ended so quickly. A fascinating piece of history from the old west. Great video Steve. I always enjoy all the information that you research in making your videos.
Yeah. For a couple of years they must have thought this place was the next big thing.
@@SidetrackAdventuresBrrr r🥶
Lived in Beatty for approximately two to three years.... Spooky vibes there... No matter the time of day....I think I would choose to NOT visit against all persistent persuaders....🤠
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Back in the mid-80s I lived in Nevada and visited the Ghosttowns every weekend. It was at that time when an individual named James Spencer purchased the entire town. Imagine my surprise when I stopped by the townsite one beautiful afternoon and there was Mr. Spencer, walking the grounds. A guy in his 40s, he was friendly and we had an extensive conversation. He was stunned when I told him my grandfather's name was James Spencer (no relation-that I know of). Anyways, he ended up selling the town just a few years later.
I've been to Rhyolite numerous times and I took many friends there and always tried to make them understand the history of the place. Rhyolites' short span of booming days is a unique mirror of longer spans of larger civilisations... Built on dreams and expectations and destroyed by a lack of faith into the the very own aspirations. As of today there's still mining going on in the area - and on a much larger scale than ever before. But people choesed to leave back in zhe 1910th's because they were told that the mines had played out. They didn't even check whether this was true or not. They just gave up, moved away and left everything behind they'd been working for so hard.
This is where we're at a whole, as the Western civilization, right now at this time. We're being told that we're wrong and we need to get rid of everything our ancestors and we've been working for - just because someone says so...
Exactly. You are on point.
Interesting that such a large down disappeared so quickly. It's so odd to hear of famous historical figures being effected by economic downturns. I used to work in Downtown San Diego, often walking down to the Gaslamp Quarter and the remaining bit of China Town. I was surprised to learn that Wyatt Earp used to own land in the area that used to be called the Stingeree, but sold it at a loss due to a financial crash in the 1890s. So many great stories, Steve! Thanks for all your great research.
I love your small history lessons and style of investigative journalism.
I have been to Rhyolite so many times and knew little of the history. Being from Las Vegas I would take all of my out of town friends to Death Valley and Rhyolite. None of them were ever disappointed. I used to go to Furness Creek in the middle of summer to enjoy the heat. I grew up in Havasu. If I have shade and water I'm okay. Thanks Steve.
I've been in LHC since '86 when it used to be fun to live here.
@@SmittyAZ 1965 when the lake was full of trees. I do miss it when only a few of us had the lake to ourselves.
Just visited this area from Vegas. Death Valley is amazing. The views and landscape is nothing short of astonishing. I also really enjoyed Rhyolite.
I spent a LOT of time in Rhyolite - as I volunteered often to restore some of the pieces at the Goldwell Open Air Museum (Nextdoor neighbor). This town's history has always been so interesting to me. Thanks for doing this video.
I enjoyed the Open Air Museum, I appreciate the work of volunteers to make it available.
Very clear photography. Depth of field is amazing. Good work!
Back in the late 1960s our scout explorer troop.of six arrived in Ryolite at night during a severe sand storm
We too refuge in the bank, first trying the basemen post office vault but the smell was overpowering so we scalled the walls and slept in the vault on the main floor. The next day we visited the museum in the train station and the woman managing it asked where we spent the night. When we told her the bank building with a horrible smell she told us they found the decomposed body of a murder victim in the basement vault, minus his head and hands. It was suspected a gangster hit ftom Las Vegas. Who knows? Thanks for the great video, brought back a lot of memories
I was in a grocery store in Escondido while paying at the human cashier check-out and noticed her child about your son's age wearing a SD hat, so I told her about you, and your TH-cam channel..I hope that leads to another subscriber to Sidetrack Adventures, because you deserve it my man.
Great video as always. 👍
Thank you, I appreciate it.
Another 11plus video! We visited Rhyolite on trips to Death Valley in the 80s and 90s in our 84 Land Cruiser and a dome tent for shelter. We remember the bottle house and the bank building, but of course did not have the drone's eye view. We are in our 70s now so we appreciate this great exploration of our memories.
You did an extensive visit. Hit all the highlights. Good job. One of your best.
Much appreciated!
A busy, somewhat stressful day, and then I watched this.
Thank you Steve. You are a gentleman.
Hi Steve, another great video as always, amazing that Rhyolite only lasted for such a short time considering the investment in infrastructure. All the very best from Australia.
My wife and I stayed at Furnace Creek Ranch in the early 1990's. We took day trips going hiking, to Scotty's Castle, and also Rhyolite.
We checked out the ruins in town, and then headed up to a mine tunnel opening part way up a hill, that we spotted with binoculars. We went into the mine and followed a few tunnels until they came to dead ends. There was also an incline shaft heading to lower levels, but it had extensive damage and wasn't safe to explore. Had a great time.
Man just like everyone else says , I love your channel. You have a special something about your videos, the presentation the music, the way you speak, simply your enthusiasm for what you are doing. I very much appreciate the work you put in. Thankyou for the escape you provide.
You put together some of the best videos!! One thing is wonderful bout your videos is when you are walking you hear your voice as to what you are talking bout not the sound of your feet crunching. Well done!!
Wow! You are really the best example of the new historian.
You research, and then bring history to life.
Great videos!!!!
Another enjoyable video. Your voice, the soundtrack, and topics like this, often leave me melancholic thinking about people past and the good and bad times they experienced. I love them all.
I really appreciated this video, Steve! I visited Rhyolite years ago before or after a visit to nearby Death Valley. I didn't realize just how many ruins are still there, as I only saw about 25% of what you showed us--and I never got out of my car. Thanks to you, I want to go back and see more! It really is a cool place. I remember seeing the bottle house. I never knew much about the history of the town, so thanks for that as it was very interesting hearing about it. Amazing how big it was in its brief hay day. How deflated the residents must have felt when in a few years the whole enterprise (which must have seemed so promising) just completely crumbled. I do hope to return now that your video has rekindled my interest in Rhyolite. It's true that it's a photographer's paradise--especially with the scenery of the Mojave Desert in the background under those stunning sunny and blue skies! Thanks Steve!
Great history again Steve! I remember the bottle house vividly from back in the early 70's as a kid out exploring the Death Valley area with the family. Thanks for bringing back good memories!
Another awesome episode! Thanks Steve.
Always a good watch!!! Many thanks
Very informative, very well shot, very well presented, a good channel
Nicely done Steve!
Another great informative video Steve. Outstanding work!
Another fantastic video! Thank you!
I have watched many of your videos. great job and thank you.
Another great video, Steve! Thanks.
Another excellent video. Thank you.
Cool tour, thanks for your work in bringing it to us all !
Once again, great stuff! You never disappoint 😎
Thank you for sharing this bit of interesting history! Very much will love to visit some day!
Great vid , Steve. Thx for posting.
This was an excellent video on Rhyolite. I first learned of it at age 13 when I was into ghost towns. I was enamored by the ruins of the bank. When I first visited in 1989, I couldn't drive from Beatty to Rhyolite fast enough. You covered it really well. I have been there 6 times; there was no fencing or information stands at the time. The mine above the jail is a real mine and was the Bullfrog National Bank Mine.
That is a great tour of this town . Thanks for making it …❤
Happy to run across your adventures. Gives us ideas for some road trips. Thanks for taking the time to do them. Well done.
Hey Steve - always enjoy the videos and complete history. It's awesome you can travel and bring all this content to us.
Awesome historical research, very interesting. Well Done!
Great story telling work with your drone. Really gives the viewer of your video the big picture while you work through some of the details. Thanks for creating and posting!
Hey Steve. I recently found your channel, subscribed and am now binging on your content. Thanks for the excellent videos! ❤
Another great video. Thanks for sharing.
Great video Steve!! Been to Rhyolite a 7-8 times, my son and I explored our first mine there and been exploring old ghost towns and mines ever since!
Thanks for the video. And all the great information
Thank you, your description was very thorough. You did a great deal of research, it is appreciated
Best regards.
Bill.
Very good coverage. Much appreciated
Solid tour, thanks.
As always you provide a class act ,covering whatever you decide to bring to us . Thanks again Steve , for sharing this one with everyone. Stay safe out there , & Happy Holidays to you & your family. 😎👍
I really enjoy your videos and learn quite a bit about
places that are just a few hours drive from me.
I never even knew about this town. I love history and you cover so much. I really dig this channel. Thank you so much for all that you do and bring to your viewers you’re appreciated.😊
This is my favorite video to-date. I live in Pittsburgh, PA but have been to Rhyolite twice. I even wrote a sci-fi book about 13 years ago and Rhyolite is mentioned a few times (though I have since moved on to write sports history and abandon fiction). Thanks for making my afternoon.
Awesome history of a town that died so quickly. Good job of narrative of it. I enjoyed it because I love history.
Thanks Steve as usual you're a wealth of information & unusual tidbits of history, I'm always surprised at how much you can dig on your places.😊
As usual, outstanding video!
Always fantastic content Steve.
Yet another great video!
Very nicely done. Thanks
Thanks for making this documentary. Along with the narration, this is professional craftsmanship. Such talent to put this together.
Thanks for another awesome adventure, well researched, filmed and edited, Steve, Merry Christmas and an awesome New Year to you and yours 🎄🍹
Thank you, Merry Christmas to you as well.
Steve, this is the first of your videos I've watched. I'm very impressed by your very professional ability to tell a story. Everything about the video was great: the story & its pace, the videography, and the editing. I'm happy to subscribe and looking forward to seeing & learning from more of your content. Great to see you've already posted 209 videos. I'm sure I'll be entertained & informed. Thanks and greetings from Canada!
This video is one of your best, Thank you.
Thank you.
I have seen many photographs of this place over the years (especially the bank), but I learned a ton from this video. Thank you!
Glad to hear that.
Good, well-organized material. I visited Rhyolite a few years ago and learned a few facts about the building from this vid that I didn't know. Very good effort!
I love your videos. They are well made, documented and kind of soothing in a way. Also, what’s top notch is to see an American caring for history. That’s a rare feat. Kudos from France!
LOVE all your vids and the background music
Nice video. Thanks for sharing…!
There is no other chanel that gives history lessions on places like you do steve, you keep me captivated, and the hummer at that. keep the adventures coming.
Thank you, I appreciate it.
Another great video and adventure! Thank you Steve!
Love the episode!!!
Thank you for the informative video. I'm glad to see Rhyolite in the daylight. In 2003, my 13 year old son and I payed a visit to Rhyolite in the dark. We had toured Scotty's Castle and were on our way to Tonopah when we spotted Rhyolite. I couldn't pass it up. We didn't spend much time there, but with the sparse lighting, it was a very eerie visit.
One of the best videos I have seen in a long time.
You really do great work and are of great character too. Taking care of the pup in Salton Sea...!👍👍👍 Good on you brother!
Great narration on all your videos.👍
Much enjoy your videos to remote destinations. Thank you Steve, have a great Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you as well.
Steve you are best with your narrative...taking me to places I might never go!
You make me laugh, Steve. I love your dialogue and sense of humor.. thanks again for another great video.
Great video. Love it!
My wife and visited Rhiolyte in 2011. No other visitors but there was a guy staying in an RV near the bottle house as a seasonal historian. I think he was with the Park Service in some capacity but could be wrong. Anyway, great video. Brings back a lot of good memories of our treks out of Las Vegas to the remote areas of Nevada.
Best video about Rhyolite, NV ever created.
Visited in 2008, still have pictures we took. learned a lot by your video, thanks for sharing.
Passed through Rhyolite about 4 times going back and forth between Beatty, NV through Death Valley to the eastern Sierra Nevadas.
This history makes it infinitely more rich. Thanks!
I turned up my heat a bit as I watched to get the full effect, since here in Connecticut its about 32 . Great Video !
Love these videos!!!
Great quality of video and commentary..
Another excellent story thanks Steve 👍
An excellent report. Well done. Congrats
Glad you enjoyed it!
Another great story with terrific scenery!! Your videos save me a lot in fuel! 😂 Thanks, Steve! Safe travels!👍
Abandoned wild west towns like this one are so cool! Great video!
I love watching your videos !!!!
Wow you visit places I spent time in in the 70’s, thanks for your vids
Really nice history - thank you. Rhyolite doesn't even seem to fit into the classification of "Boom town". It was like someone took a deep breath, built a town, and by the time he exhaled it was gone. There was a legit gold discovery that was decently productive, but the hype and speculation (and downright greed) was far greater than the imagined el dorado.
Sort of a burp rather than a boom.
Thanks for this awesome video. The last time I went to Rhyolite was in 2005, and seeing this video it seems so much has changed. I see more fences around some of the buildings and the railroad car. One building close to the glass bottle house is no more! Even then, it's such an intriguing place in the desert. I live only 4 hours away, must visit again soon.
Thanks for a great, informative history of Rhyolite, Nevada. I think I've seen a few of your videos before , but today I have subscribed and I really like your easy going manner on these vids.
Thank you, I appreciate it.