The townsite was platted in late 1904 and was a critical water source for nearby Bullfrog and Rhyolite, both of whom were beginning to flourish. The origin of Gold Center’s name is a mystery for it wasn’t the center of anything and it had no gold. In 1906, the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad reached Gold Center and the town began to grow. The town reached its peak in 1907. At that time the town had a post office, a hotel, a bank, brokerage firms, a few mercantile stores, and a score of saloons. The most unique and imposing building in Gold Center was the Gold Center Ice and Brewing Company’s combination brewery and icehouse. While it lasted, the company was soon supplying many of the saloons in Gold Center and Rhyolite and at the time had the only distilled water ice plant in Nevada. When nearby Rhyolite began to decline in late 1908, Gold Center also faded. By the beginning of 1911, the population had declined to only twenty-five. When the railroad tore up its rails in 1918-1919, the end had come. The scant remains of Gold Center consist mainly of the stone foundations of the brewery and mill.

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!