39° 32' 12"N, 117° 50' 11"W - CLAN ALPINE RANCH quad

"In 1866 the Silver Lode Mining Go. erected a 10-stamp mill at the mouth of Cherry Creek, where the camp of Alpine was laid out. A number of stone buildings, now in ruins, attest this early activity. The veins proved to be narrow and low-grade, so that the district was abandoned after several years. Except for sporadic prospecting, there has been little mining since the early days. In all probability not more than a few thousand dollars has been produced. In April 1939 the only mining in this area was on the Nevada Gold group of claims." (Vanderburg, RoMDICCN)

The Civil War was still raging when prospectors started poking around the Clan Alpine Range where the abandoned camp of Clan Alpine now stands. U.S. Grant's Overland Campaign had just begun when a notice was published to gather local miners.

NOTICE-- There will be a meeting of the Miners of Clan Alpine Mining District, at Clan Alpine Camp, on Monday, May the 9th, for the purpose of taking the mining interests into consideration.
B. N. Lowe, Recorder, By Chas. A. Van Patten, Deputy, Caln Alpine Camp, Churchill County, Tuesday, April 28, 1864
Reese River Reveille, May 5th, 1864

Looks like everyone came to an amicable agreement.

NOTICE-- At a meeting of the miners of Clan Alpine District, held at Clan Alpine Camp, May 9, 1864, pursuant to a notice publishes in the Reese River Reveille, the following resolution was unanimously adopted: Resolved, That the claims be laid over for the term of six months from the date of these resolutions. SIgned by the following persons: R N Lowe, G W Burbank, J M Murray, Ch A Van Patten, A A Veatch, A Churchill, William Powell, J J Veatch, J Henry Langtry, S B Hall, J A Veatch, S S Mudget, S H Blonger, William Byrne, S W Brewer, E W Jacobs, E E Wighuman. Clan Alpine, May 9, 1864

Notice was taken of the districts minerals about this time.

We have been shown some very fine surface ore from the new district, called Clan Alpine, some 90 miles northwest of Virginia. On such pieces as have been roasted, an abundance of silver is to be seen in the form of small globules.
-Gold Hill Daily News, May 17, 1864

No time was wasted in the exploration and estimations of the region's promise.

CLAN ALPINE DISTRICT - Today we had the pleasure of conversing with a friend who has just come from this new district. He reports about twenty men vigorously at work opening their several claims. Some rock from these claims, which we saw, is undoubtedly rich in gold and silver. About seventeen different ledges have been struck, the most of which are bold and well defined on the top, and of easy access. A stream of beautiful clear and pure water tumbles through the hills, affording the miners excellent drinking water and of sufficient quantity to furnish motive power to numerous mills. The whole aspect of the District is very cheering, and prospectors feel confident of having secured a handsome fortune when the mines have been properly developed.
-Gold Hill Daily News, October 3, 1864

More meetings!

NOTICE
There will be a miner's meeting held at Van Patton's cabin, Clan Alpine District, on the 1st of November, for the purpose of revising the laws of the district. B. N. Lowe, recorder.
-Reese River Reveille, October 19, 1864

A call went out for miners.

WANTED
A few practical miners can find employment by applying in person at the office of the Silver Lode Mining Company, John Ingalls, Superintendent, Clan Alpine, Churchill County, Nev.
-Reese River Reveille, April 12, 1866


Miners apparently arrived and dug up ore. NOw it needed to be processed.

A ten stamp mill is being put up on the claims of the Silver Lode Company, in the Clan Alpine District.
-Daily Alta California, June 14, 1866

Clan Alpine was turning into a thriving camp.

CHURCHILL CO. REPUBS - The Churchill county Republicans did better than usual this year, giving the State ticket a handsome majority, and electing the Senator, Sheriff, Recorder, both Commissioners, and causing a tie on Assessor. The little precinct of Clan Alpine, with only 14 voters, was the banner precinct, every ballot going into the box as straight and clean as it was issued from the Journal press. [Women could not vote until 1920 - ed.]
-Nevada State Journal, November 11, 1866

The post office at Clan Alpine was already closed.

Mail Route Salt Lake City, Tooele, Stockton, Fairfield, Eag Canon (Nevada) Ruby Valley, Austin, Clan ALpine, Saint Clair Station, and Stillwater, to Virginia City
-Carson Daily Appeal, June 10, 1868

F. M. Whittaker representing Eastern capital in search of gold prospects arrived at Wadsworth Sunday and leaves for Clan Alpine, Churchill county, today to take a look at the mines at that place. He will return soon ad inspect White Horse District.
-Wadsworth Dispatch, April 25, 1894

W. W. Williams had two teams, an eight and a four animal, in Wadsworth from Clan Alpine this week for lumber and supplies.
-Wadsworth Dispatch, November 6, 1897

Families in the area got to know each other.

Don Maestretti and Miss Emma Danielson were married at the residence of the bride's father, James Danielson, at Clan Alpine, by Father Butler of Austin, Monday evening.
-The Central Nevadan, November 30, 1899

Even mules saw the promise of the district.

Lost His Mules
The Austin Reveille says: Dr. J. C. Leonard, while on his way to Bishop Creek, had the misfortune to lose his four mules at Luning. He tracked them for over forty miles when he lost all track of them and began to think he was afoot, but last Monday he was informed that the mules were in the vicinity of Clan Alpine, over ninety miles from where he turned them out. For once the old bell-mule fooled the doctor, and his faith in the long-eared animal has been shattered.
-The White Pine News, April 5, 1900

The mail route was improved, but the ore was running out. It was only a matter of time now.

The stage is now making daily trips ad we are in closer touch with Wadsworth. There is a fair prospect of a mail route to be established to Alpine with a weekly service. The distance is about 70 miles. Alpine is a post office at J. A. Danielson's ranch and distributes mail for Warren Williams, Dalton, Healy, Towl, and others in the valley of Clan Alpine in the extreme eastern end of the county. The route would be on the line of travel from Wadsworth and Stillwater to Ione.
-Wadsworth Dispatch, April 6, 1900

Still miners poked around, but the the town was already dying.

BIG STRIKE IS REPORTED AT CLAN ALPINE IN CHURCHILL
Located six miles from Wonder Mt. Grant District - Local people are Interested
A big strikes is reported from Clan Alpine, six miles from Wonder, in the Mt. Grant District. It was made by Dave Healy. Judge B. F. Curler of this city, W.W. Williams and J.B. Willimas are interested with him in the strike. THere is an old mill on the property which was built in 1863. The mine was worked in the early days quite extensively and profitably, but the lead was lost.
-Reno Evening Gazette, September 20, 1911

The post office closed in 1914, and the town emptied.

A child born in Clan Alpine in 1871 took his own life as an adult after suffering an accident in Stillwater.

F. A. DALTON DIES BY HIS OWN HAND
Fred A. Dalton, well known rancher of the Stillwater district, shot himself in the head with a shot gun at his ranch home early this morning, dying instantly. Several months ago he suffered an injury to his head and it is believed that this may have affected his mind. Members of the family were unable to scribe any motive for the act. He was born in Clan Alpine one of the old-time mining camps near Fallon,fifty-nine years ago, and had lived nearly all his life in Churchill County.
-Reno Evening Gazette, December 18, 1929

Frederick Arthur Dalton was born October 23, 1871 in Clan Alpine, Nevada, to William T. Dalton and Elizabeth Shaw.

Splendid rock ruins, friendly folks at the Clan Alpine Ranch let us look around and take all the pictures we wanted. The site of Clan Alpine, which was the mill and some miscellaneous buildings, is at the mouth of Cherry Creek Canyon, about 3/4 of a mile west of the ranch. We amused ourselves by riding up War Canyon and making the loop over to Cherry Creek Canyon, a ride made even more interesting by the fact that it was deer season. Thankfully, no one mistook our handlebars for a rack and we escaped relatively unscathed.

By the way, we tasted the hamburgers at Cold Springs (since burned to the ground) and they are good. I mean, really, really good. Luis provides some detail:

"As we arrived at Cold Springs Station, I was leery as to the quality of the food that would be served as they are so isolated. The next stop was miles away- I figured that those that ate there wouldn't be too picky as what was served. I was pleasantly surprised, though, not only in the cozy surroundings inside but when we got our order, it far exceeded my expectations. The massive burger had a fresh bun, crisp lettuce and a huge slab of ground round, topped off with a generous heap of steak fries. The cook/waiter was friendly and service was outstanding, and was reasonably priced. It was a very pleasant dining experience, and a great way to end a long ride in the Alpine range. I know we will go again should we ever be in that neck of the woods again."

UPDATE October 2021
Very disappointing- entire area is now fenced off.