COMMENTS: Interesting Scenery.
REMAINS: Beautiful townsite in a pretty setting.

Centerville was another of the many mining camps throughout the Schellbourne Range during the 1870s and 1880s. The Queen Springs Mining District was organized in June of 1871. A handful of prospectors inhabited the district but it was not until the following summer that the camp of Centerville was actually formed. The Tehama Consolidated Silver Mining Company built a 20-stamp mill, employed 50 men and started its $75,000 mill in November. By fall 1872 the camp had a population of about 75 and a 160-acre townsite was planned. Production was not spectacular but many small mines were active in the district. During 1873, it became evident that ore occurred only in surface deposits. By 1874 only a handful of prospectors were left and after the Tehama Mill was bought and moved to Cherry Creek, the town was abandoned. The camp was revived in 1881 when the El Capitan Mine was reopened. The revival was short-lived and by the end of the year the revival had faded completely. Centerville’s last revival began in 1903 when A.L.Siegel of Salt Lake City bought all the claims in the district. The camp was renamed Siegel and became the company camp of the Siegel Consolidated Mines Company. Ore deposits ran out and by summer 1900 all mining activity had ceased and Siegel was abandoned for good. As are all the mining camps located in the Schellbourne Range, the Siegel townsite is in a beautiful setting and that in itself makes the hard trek worthwhile.

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!