Millett's

Nye County

AKA: Millett

This end of the Big Smoky Valley was and is a large ranching area, while the surrounding mountains held many mining camps. A man named Charles Scheel first established a ranch here in 1873. It was purchased by a man named Millett in 1896. When the booms hit at Manhattan and Round Mountain in 1905, the area around Millett's began to see prospectors branching out in search of new discoveries. Decent ore was discovered west of Millett's in Park Canyon in early 1906. Shortly after this, a townsite was organized at Millett's. Another discovery was made at Pueblo when a prospector discovered the skeleton of a deceased miner who was deceased next to $5,000 a ton ore. By early summer of 1906, Millett's and the surrounding area had 300 to 400 residents. Millett's had a post office, saloons, general store, blacksmith, wagon repair shop and a two-story hotel called the Lakeview. The Smoky Valley Hotel was built in 1909. Ore from the surrounding district was shipped to Austin. Millett's acted as a staging point for much of the ore that came from the mining camps in the Toiyabe and Toquima mountain ranges. The ore began to fade by 1911. The population fell to approximately 50 residents. Mining in the district was virtually dead by 1916. The actual Millett's Ranch was sold to the Farrington's in 1923. The post office and general store held out until 1930.

Post Office: May 3, 1906 to July 3, 1930

Last Trip/ Road Conditions: I've driven by it well over a hundred times. I photographed it July 2014 and March 2016. It sits right off the side of Highway 376 in the Big Smoky Valley. There is a turnout that you can pull into. Many of the relics sit on what had been an active cattle operation. I'm not sure if this is still a working ranch, or if it has been abandoned. Be careful not to trespass if it's still active.