Danville

Nye County

AKA:  Chloride Mining District

Silver discoveries were made in Danville in 1866 by P.W. Mansfield. They were looking for a route over the Monitor range. Snow appears to have severely limited or shut down development of the area over the winter. By early 1867, articles began to appear in area newspapers. They spoke about the excitement that was expected in the district once the snow melted. On April 20, 1867, the Belmont Silver Bend Reporter wrote: "In Danville, the snow has prevented operations during the winter, but work is again commenced on a few claims, and arrangements are being made for the more permanent development of the mines and the erection of a mill." The excitement appears to have been short-lived. Hall doesn't speak about the district again until 1870. He stated that the district was re-organized, with 30 miners working five mines in the district. By the summer of 1871, newspapers were not speaking about the prosperity of Danville. They were saying the opposite. For example, the Eureka Daily Sentinel and the Carson Daily State Register ran an article titled "Deserted District". It claimed that several years prior, hundreds of miners were working the area and that the town was "quite a lively place". The article sourced a miner who had just returned from the Danville District. It read in part: "... In and around the town of Danville a death-like stillness reigns, not even is this painful quietness relieved by the hooting of an owl or the squawk of a buzzard... The grass in the deserted streets is now waist high, with no living soul to trample or recuperate upon its fattening virtues." I was not able to find another newspaper article until 1877. Hall stated that all though the district had quieted, there was some activity in the district during this period. The district received another boost in December of 1877 when a man possibly named John Phillips spent $18,000 to purchase at least some of the Danville mines. On December 16, 1877, the Eureka Daily Sentinel wrote: "A sale of mining property was consummated in Eureka, yesterday, of a series of mines in Danville District, south of Belmont. The purchasers were a New York company, and the consideration $18,000..." In late 1877 and early 1878, a dozen men were at work developing the mines over the winter. There was also discussion about the construction of a ten-stamp mill in the spring. Another spring rush to the district was being anticipated. The firm of Lockwood and Remington was receiving large orders of mining supplies to be sent to the district. By May of 1878, prospects were looking good. Men were back to work sinking shafts at the Boston and Green Mountain mines. By September of 1878, the good reports continued. While going through all of these old articles, I noticed that something was different with Danville. I wasn't finding any that spoke about the big shipments of good ore leaving Danville. I was able to find one article from the Eureka Daily Sentinel in October of 1878 that somewhat conveyed the same message, but in a different light. It read: "It takes hang-on-ativeness to stay by mines as messr's Mansfield, Miller, McAvoy and Daily have done in their possession of the Danville mines. But they weathered through, and, although they know they have not near the real worth of the mines in coin, still they are contented with the results and that is enough..." From there, the four gentlemen listed above sold the rest of their Danville interests to the eastern backed Phillips and Trippel interests.




Sage Hen, Boston, Eucalyptus, Argonaut and Richmond were early mines. Ore was shipped to Austin until 1873 when the mill was built at Morey. (Hall)

District quiets in 1874 or after. 20 men still worked the Danville mines until 1877. (Hall)

Two companies operating. The Danville and the St. Louis, both of which Alexander Trippel was superintendent. (Hall)

December 1877, John Phillips buys mines for $18,000 and keeps Trippel on. Phillips invested large sums of money, experienced doubt and shut down operations on January 1, 1882. (Hall).

Previous mines had shut down by 1879 and only five were left through 1881. (Hall)

New discoveries made in 1883 which brought 25 men back to Danville. (Hall)

Post Office opens on November 21, 1883 with Frank Mill postmaster. (Hall).

Revival only lasts a year. Post office closes September 8, 1884. (Hall).

Danville abandoned and completely empty from 1886 to 1909. An occasional prospector did come and go. Fish Lake Valley rancher named O.S. Wattles worked the Boston mine in the 1890's. Shipped ore to SLC but not very profitable. (Hall)

Post Office:  November 21, 1883 to September 8, 1884

Last Trip/ Road Conditions:  May 2018, the road was fair. I never needed four-wheel drive. Deer hunting in October 2020, the road was garbage according to a buddy who took it. However, his interpretation of good and bad compared to mine, could just be different. But knowing him well and what roads he takes, if he said it was bad, it was bad. This is also a very remote location. There aren’t many remains, but this is a beautiful area and what’s left of the remains are cool.