COMMENTS: Interesting Scenery.
REMAINS: Semi-ghost.

Reipetown was designed as an alternative to Kimberly and Ruth for the District’s miners. By spring 1908, Reipetown already had a dozen saloons and was well on its way to becoming the “wettest” town in White Pine County. Known as one of the toughest towns in the state, Reipetown became a haven for liquor, gambling, and prostitution. Reipetown has the distinction of being one of few Nevada towns never to have had a church. By spring 1909close to twenty saloons were in operation. The town achieved its peak population of 200 during 1909 and maintained that population until the fire of 1917 that wiped out the saloon and red-light district but left only two houses unscathed. The town rebuilt quickly but never recaptured its past glory. The passage of the Eighteenth Amendment dried out the town to some extent, but Reipetown had more than its share of bootleg bars. Fire struck again in 1924 and wiped out all the saloons on the north side of Main Street. The town has slowly faded during the years and is no longer the boisterous place it once was. Today only a handful of people live there. Buildings including many old shacks still remain and the residents hope that if the nearby Ruth copper mine is reopened, the town will revive once again.

Submitted by: Shawn Hall from his book Romancing Nevada's Past: Ghost Towns And Historic Sites Of Eureka, Lander, And White Pine Counties Click here to purchase his book!