Candelaria

The first strikes were made in 1863 by Spanish-speaking prospectors. Extensive activity didn’t begin until 1873 at Pickhandle Gulch (later Metallic City), a half-mile south of the later site of Candelaria. Candelaria itself was platted in 1876 and reached what, in hindsight, was the peak of its boom in the early 1880s.

The area is dry even by Nevada standards, and dry milling of the ore led to extensive cases of silicosis among the mill workers, although conditions were never as bad as in the notorious Delamar mill in eastern Nevada. The dust, along with the ever-present wind, also made for unpleasant living conditions in the camp.

The arrival of the Carson & Colorado Railroad in 1882 helped both the water supply and living conditions in general. Labor strife and litigation further dampened activity, and even though several later bursts of mining ensued, all activity finally ceased in the early 1920s.

In the latter 20th century, mining in the area got a new lease on life with bulk-mining operations based on open pit excavation. The site of Metallic City has now been completely obliterated by a pit, and two other pits, the Northern Belle and the smaller Georgina, now lie south of the Candelaria townsite. Reclaimed heap leaches from this era are visible as symmetric, rounded hills to the north and east. They have been contoured to encourage revegetation. Currently, there are plans to begin new bulk-mining operations, but at present only exploration is continuing.

At the site of Candelaria itself, the ruins of the stone Esmeralda Bank and Tarpey store were nearly destroyed by the Monte Cristo earthquake (Richter magnitude = 6.5). The Tarpey store, in particular, is now little more than a heap of blocks.

The foundation of the earliest 19th-century mill, constructed completely of stone, is also visible to the south of the main road. Concrete was much too expensive as a construction material when it was built. This foundation also suffered damage during the quake but it is less obvious.

The old cemetery also still exists, although it is not well maintained; please be respectful.