The town received its name from the four Downey brothers who discovered rich silver and lead deposits a short distance from Ellsworth. The discovery drew many people from Ellsworth and by 1878 the town had a population of more than 200. A number of substantial buildings were erected including stores, saloons, a Wells Fargo office, and stage line offices. Downeyville thrived for quite a while as ore from its mines was shipped to mills in Austin and elsewhere. In time a smelter was built and was one of the first true lead smelters in the state. The main mine in the district was the Downeyville mine. During its production years from 1878 to 1901 the mine is said to have produced from $7 million to $12 million worth of silver and lead. The post office closed on October 15, 1901. The ruins of Downeyville are fairly extensive although no complete buildings remain. The ruins at the mine are among the best-preserved remains at the site. The site is extremely desolate but is well worth the trip.

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!