Palmetto

Esmeralda County

According to multiple historians, the original prospectors in 1866 thought that the Joshua trees in the area were related to palm trees and named the camp accordingly. Ore values didn’t hold out and the camp eventually died. New discoveries were made in 1903. Palmetto boomed again, with almost 200 tents springing up in the area. It is said that a large main street was set up with all of the businesses that came along with a rapidly growing mining town. To include saloons, stores, restaurants, a doctor’s office, assay office, bank, and other assorted commerce. A weekly newspaper called the Palmetto Herald also operated here. The boom was short lived. By the fall of 1906, the miners had drifted away to other more prosperous camps. According to Paher, a large contingency of these miners left Palmetto for Blair. A final revival occurred in 1920 and a new mill was built. I have no further information on its successes or failures.

Post Office: April 24, 1888 to June 7, 1894; December 16, 1905 to December 31. 1907

Last trip/ Road Conditions: The last trip that I actually got out and looked around Palmetto was in 2013. Highway 266 goes to Palmetto. This is a very rural highway which leads through Lida and into California. Palmetto is easy to get to. But if you are going all the way out there, you might as well see some of the other cool stuff in this area. Most of that stuff is off the pavement. Travel accordingly.