Aurum

White Pine County

AKA: Silver Canyon; Doughberg

While initial discoveries were made here as early as 1869, it appears that the camp of Silver Canyon didn't form until 1871. The camp never grew larger than a few dozen residents and was abandoned by 1873. It was not until new discoveries were made in 1878 that the new town of aurum would grow and stabilize. The Aurum Mill, which are the only remains left in the area, was built in 1881. The material for the stamp mill were brought in from Ward, which was declining. By 1881, Aurum contained the normal businesses associated with a hopeful mining camp. To include a saloon, store, boarding houses, a blacksmith and school. As is often seen in these mining camps, Aurum was already in decline by 1882. According to Shawn Hall, although the post office kept the name of "Aurum", it actually left the camp of Aurum and located itself at different locations throughout the Spring Valley until 1938.

The snow slide: On February 11, 1884, a massive snow slide came down the mountain and demolished the boardinghouse located at the Sadlie L. Mine. Wallace McCrimmon, John Fox and W.H. Mitchell were killed. McCrimmon and Mitchell are buried in the Aurum Cemetery about a quarter mile south of the remains of the Aurum Mill. If hiking to this cemetery, be careful. I stopped paying attention on the way back and had a very close encounter with a rattlesnake.

Another revival occurred at Aurum in 1887. Stage lines began running out of Aurum to Cherry Creek, Osceola and Ibapah, Utah. This revival lasted more than a decade, which is impressive in comparison to many other Nevada mining camps. By 1906, Aurum was again abandoned, with the exception of a man named Simon Davis. Davis was one of the men responsible for good discoveries in 1897 and 1898, which led to good years for Aurum. Davis reorganized the district in 1914 and companies began investing in the area. By 1920, Aurum was again dead. Davis finally left in the 1920's and Aurum was abandoned for good.

Post Office: April 4, 1881 to May 31, 1938. See the story above though. Although it kept the name of Aurum Post Office, the actual town of Aurum was completely abandoned long before this office closed. It roved around to different locations in the Spring Valley.

Last Trip/ Road Conditions: May 2021. This road is just one of those roads. Not good, not bad. It's thin, rocky and bumpy, but I never came close to needing 4WD. Be very careful of rattlesnakes. If it wouldn't have rattled, I would have stepped on it. I found a very old boot or shoe near the mill. I left it there, hoping that somebody else might also find it and see it one day.