A Post Office opened in 1908 and closed in 1942, the school in 1952, not having the three students required to keep it open. Mining operations ceased in 1942 along with the demise of the Post Office. The most productive mine in Midas was called the Elko Prince. The town never reached the status of a boomtown nor did it ever have a population much in excess of 5,000. Although the town had the name, it never quite had the "Midas Touch." Everything is quite peaceful now on highway 789 west of Tuscarora. Submitted by: Shawn Hall from his books Old Heart Of Nevada: Ghost Towns And Mining Camps Of Elko County Click here to purchase his book!

Connecting The West: Historic Railroad Stops And Stage Stations In Elko County, Nevada Click here to purchase his book!

Originally called Rosebud then Gold Circle then Midas, the town was to become one of two biggest twentieth-century gold towns in Elko County. The first gold ore was discovered in July 1907. Initial assays ran between $2,400 and $20,000 per ton. A townsite was laid out in November and lots selling for $100 to $200 went quickly. The post office opened during November of 1907 and the Elko-Tuscarora stage line immediately extended a branch to the townsite. By the beginning of 1908 the town supported a doctor, several saloons, two restaurants, a store, two feeding stables, and four real estate offices. By the end of April, the population of Midas was estimated at 1,100. By the end of summer five hotels had been built. But due to the absence of mills nearby and the cost of shipping the ore a considerable distance, only the richest ore could be shipped and as a result many miners left town. By the end of the year only 250 residents remained. However, by the end of 1910 the mill problem had been addressed with the building of several mills and the population held steady around 200. While the mines produced every year from 1908 to 1941, the amount varied dramatically and all operations were shut down early in 1941. There is much to see at Midas but please respect the fact the town is now on private property.

Midas was a small mining camp that existed from the 1880s to around the turn of the century. There were never more than fifty people at Midas and only a couple of frame buildings were ever built there. Mining was never profitable enough to support the residents and the site was abandoned with little notice to or by anybody. Today, only scattered rubble marks the spot.