Even though Ashmeadows was formed in the early 1900s as a stop for stages headed to the strikes in the Bullfrog district, it didn’t begin to develop until 1916 when a large clay deposit was discovered and commercial production began. The Death Valley and the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroads eventually built a narrow-gauge spur line to the clay pits at Ashmeadows. Construction of the railroad spur allowed Ashmeadows to keep growing. By 1923 the town’s population had stabilized at fifty and was the site of a number of substantial buildings, including a few saloons and hotels. The best years for the mine were 1927-1929 when it produced more than $1 million worth of ore. The value of the camps total production through 1948 was $2.9 million. There was sporadic activity until 1986 and now nothing. Most of the buildings have been moved to nearby ranches. The town of Ashmeadows has basically disappeared.

Submitted by: Shawn Hall from his book Preserving The Glory Days: Ghost Towns And Mining Camps Of Nye County, Nevada Click here to purchase his book!

Old one room house about ten miles off the main highway
Courtesy Jon Whitney