Exploring Toponah, Nevada

The day dawned cold, rainy and windy. Close to freezing, but not quite cold enough to produce snow. Which would have been far better than the sleet blowing horizontally.

The receptionist at the hotel had turned me on to the International Car Forest of the Last Church , about 30 minutes north of Toponah in the small town of Goldfield . It is a truly bizarre sight to see abandoned graffitied cars, many of them tipped vertically - hence the forest. Unfortunately those horizontal raindrops also made it impossible to keep them off my camera lens. The alternative was not to shoot. You will see them in some of the photos. That was just the nature of the experience.

Next up was the Toponah Mining Park and Museum ,  just behind the Mizpah hotel. Toponah was originally settled as a mining town. The founder, Jim Butler, named the town Toponah, which is said to mean "hidden spring" in the Shoshoni Indian language.

Although Butler, a prospector, discovered the veins rich in silver ore, it was his wife, Belle, who actually staked the claim. Belle Butler herself located, named, and christened the Mizpah Mine—also known as Belle’s Mizpah . Belle was intimately involved in the mining operations, which was highly unusual for women in the early 1900s. The word Mizpah derives from Genesis and describes the pile of rocks that marked the amicable parting of Laban and Jacob. “This heap is a witness between you and me today. . . . May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.” (Genesis 31:48–49)   Mizpah means “watchtower” in Hebrew and can represent both “an agreement between two people” and “an emotional bond between those separated by long distances. ”

The development of mid-nineteenth century silver mines in western Nevada was the major element that led to statehood. And the silver mining actually saved the State from bankruptcy at one point.  Additional information about the history of the mine can be found here  and here .

Grace, at the Tonopah Historic Mining Park and Museum was a wealth of information and assistance. The park encompasses portions of four of the original major mining companies and covers more than 100 acres. It contains original and restored equipment and buildings, historic exhibits, and video presentations (highly recommended). Inside are the store, but also two rooms containing a plethora of mineral exhibits. Grace not only provided a detailed introduction and orientation, but provided me with chemical hand warmers so that I could withstand the outdoor exploration without risking frostbite. (Maybe a bit extreme, but not a lot).

The Mizpah hotel was developed along with the silver rush. The hotel was named after the Mizpah Mine and was the social hub of Tonopah. The hotel was pre-dated by the Mizpah Saloon, which opened in 1907, and was the first permanent structure in Tonopah. As I mentioned yesterday, my room is apparently haunted by the Lady in Red . According to lore, as was common in many Wild West towns, the Mizpah was not strictly just a hotel. Many guests came specifically to visit a certain year-round resident who lodged in a palatial fifth-floor suite where she worked in—and prospered from—the oldest trade in the world. At least until an ex-lover, possibly a former patron, stabbed and strangled her in a fit of jealous rage. I was convinced I heard creaking and sighing last night - until I realized it was sound of the wind whistling over the top floor along with the motor of my plug-in cooler.

To cap the day I paid a quick visit to Toponah’s infamous Clown Motel. Honestly just creepy and weird.

I again ended the evening at the bar, which is frequented by locals who all know each other. Alex was my capable bartender this evening. 

Additional images can be found in the Toponah gallery.