Severino Penelas, between 1913 and 1919, discovered what was to become the biggest producer of the Bruner Mining District. For almost twenty years he lived in abject poverty, working in the mine by candlelight and without ventilation. He died of pneumonia contracted while in the mine. After his death, it was discovered that he had hoarded almost $100,000; all money earned from his mine. Other than the Penelas mine, no activity took place in Penelas before 1930. Major operations began there in 1931. The mine was purchased from the Penelas estate and it was worked until 1942. In the meantime, the town grew to thirty buildings, twelve homes, and six bunkhouses that housed fifty employees and was called the most modern mining camp in Nevada. The population number seventy persons. Most of the residents left when the mine closed in 1942. During its lifetime, the mine produced close to $900,000 in gold and silver. All the buildings were moved to other places and nothing at all remains of the camp.

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!