Mountain City sprung into existence with the discoveries of ore in 1869, and soon boomed to a population of almost 1,000 people, including twenty saloons. But the boom didn't last very long- by 1872, miners moved onto more promising areas and by 1882, the population had dropped to about 20 souls. There were several short-lived booms, but ranching became the main reason Mountain City hung on. It perked up again when Rio Tinto copper mines started operating in the 1930's but that only lasted about a decade. Never a ghost, the 2022 Population Estimates Program and 2021 American Community Survey suggests about 12 to 15 people now live here.
As usual, it begns with the discovery of precious metal.
NEW DISCOVERY
A few days ago an immense quartz ledge, twenty feet in width, was accidentally discovered about twenty-five miles from town, and a few hundred yards from Mountain City, Cope district, road. We have been informed by reliable parties that the rock contains gold and silver in paying quantities, and that the ledge crops out boldly a distance of 2,000 feet. The ledge is easy discernible from the road, but escaped discovery by the lynx-eyed prospectors, who, owing to the peculiar color of the croppings, supposed it to be a ridge of granite. Wo hope it may prove as valuable as its owners anticipate.
-Elko Independent, July 10, 1869
Naturally, the mines are a wonder to behold
THE MINES IN THE COPE DISTRICT.—
A correspondent of the Independent, an experienced miner, writing from Mountain City, under date of July 10, says: "The mines of this district are richer than the most sanguine anticipated. The ledges now being developed are looking finely and the ore improves in quality as depth is attained, as you will readily perceive on comparison of the specimens which we send herewith with the croppings we left with you when in town after supplies. The richness of the mines in this district is now established beyond doubt, and no fears are entertained of their permanency, as the ledges are found by development to be regular and well defined. Since our return from Elko several new discoveries have been made in this vicinity, among the most promising of which may be mentioned the Hamilton, which shows a vein of very rich ore full two feet wide. This ledge is about two hundred yards from and runs parallel with the Great Eastern, one of the first locations made in this district. and was recently discovered by Hamilton and McCann. Another new discovery is the Fuller ledge, located by your humble servant, but of which I say nothing, as the ore speaks for itself. The Fourth passed off quietly in this camp, but was celebrated in an appropriate manner by anvil salutes [The firing of gunpowder, often repeatedly, in one of the holes in a blacksmith's anvil or between two anvils] and unfurling, the starry banner to the mountain breeze. At a meeting of the miners held last evening it was decided to name our young town Mountain City. Everything about our camp denotes energy and prosperity; work on the mines is prosecuted vigorously, and the number of our inhabitants increases rapidly. We are expecting to have communication with Elko by regular express, and a club for the Independent is already formed. In conclusion, if there are any of the skeptical ones in Elko who doubt the richness and extent of the mines in this vicinity, you are at liberty to give our names as authority for what we state, and rest assured they will find everything as represented."
-Elko Independent, July 14, 1869
It's time to make a town and sell some lots!
NOTICE
I hereby appoint W. B. Scott my agent for the disposal of Lots and Town Property situated in Mountain City, Cope District, Nevda. Having purchased Jesse Cope's title and have had it surveyed by the Deputy County Surveyor, I now propose to sell lots at such prices as may come within the reach of all.
Thomas Fitzhugh, Mountain City, August 27, 1869
-Elko INdependent, September 4, 1869
Mountain City is booming, my friend, and you better get here quickly.
LETTER FROM COPE DISTRICT
Mountain City, September 13, 1869
Editor, Elko Independent:
Agreeably to promise, I hasten to write you my first letter, which I forward through the poiteness of Mr. Fisher. I arrived here last Saturday and have employed most of my time in taking items. Mountain City contains about 700 inhabitants, and is a nicely laid out town, situated on the left bank of the Owyhee River. Upon examining a plan of the town site, I find that the town is built on the site originally located by Mr. Cope, and by him transferred to Mr. Thos. B. Fitzhugh, and is one mile in length by one-quarter of a mile in width. There are three principle streets, running north and south, and named Main, Clay, and Cope streets, and there are twleve cross streets, numbered respectively from 1st to 12th streets. A large number of lots have already been sold, and they are daily increasing in value. Mr. Fitzhugh, with commendable generosity, has tendered four lots in the center of town to the following associations: one to the Masonic Fraternity, one to the Odd Fellows, one for church purposes, and one to the city upon which to erect a school house. There are some 91 tents, five or six log cabins and two splended adobe buildings, 24 by 40 feet each. There is one hotel, besides five boarding houses, several lodging houses, many saloons and also two "Bank Exchanges." There are a number of stores already established here, foremost among which are Messrs. Oppenheimer & Co., Fisk and Fellows, Chapman & Blair, and Geff & Co. Provisions are high, the supply rather limited, and the assortment not up to the requirements of the trade, but, no doubt, as facilities for transportation increase, there will be no cause for complaint on the part of consumers. Meat is abundant-- stock pincipally from Walla Walla valley-- and retails at 20 and 25 cents per pound. Milk is plenty at $1 per gallon; hay, 7 to 8 cents per pound; barley, 12 cents per pound, flour, $12 per cwt., potatoes, 10 center per pound, and all other staples in proportion. There is plenty of firewood obtained at a distance of from three and a half to eight miles, and is sold at $8 a cord for cottonwod, and $12 for mountain mahogany; there is also an abundant supply of pine timber, suitable for mining and building purposes, found at Duck Valley, a distance of 20 miles from town. There is little money in circulation, which is a great drawback, most of the arrivals being prospectors, all of whom have arrived with their pockets empty.
-Elko Independent, September 18, 1869
There's not stopping Mountain City now, with their new mill pounding rocks.
The Atchison & Drew Mill, in Cope, started up Monday of last week, and everything is working in the most satisfactory manner. They have an abundance of ore on hand and will soon clean up, then the first shipment of bullion from that young and interesting district will be made.Cope district is a complete success.
-Elko Independent, December 8, 1869
On the road between Elko and points in Idaho, Mountain City was located in a very stragic spot. Freight roads were important, particularly when Rio Tinto was in operation and ore was shipping. We did not want to have to ship through Idaho.
FAST FREIGHT TO COPE
Wm. Smith's fast freight and express to Mountain City leaves this place regularly once a week. He carries passengers and freight, and deserves patronage, for he is a "bully-good man" and is not afraid to work.
-Elko Independent, January 5, 1870
Idaho beat Nevada to the punch by improving their roads first, seeing the potential of what was going on around Mountain City.
TO BEGIN HAULING ORE TO ELKO IN NEAR FUTURE ELKO, Nev., May 26. — (Special) —Hauling of ore from Mountain City to Elko will be resumed as soon as the roads will hold the loads, Al Lofquist, superintendent of the mine, declared Saturday. Mr. Lofquist came over the road to Elko from Mountain City Friday and found it in excellent condition. I He is anxious to see the work commenced on the Owyhee canyon road and believes that upon its completion the road from here to the Rio Tinto mine can be kept open from Mountain City to Elko most of the year. Four hundred men are employed at the Rio Tinto at the present time, he says. The shaft is down to what is known as the seven hundred-foot level. Some trucks hauling ore at the present time are thirty-two feet long, he said, and he expressed doubt that they could be manipulated on the curves in the vicinity of Allegheny creek, near Mountain City, unless some of them were widened. Lofquist declared that Governor Clark of Idaho. Public Works Commissioner Ira Taylor and Highway Director Joe Stemmer were in Mountain City on the 19th and at that time they indicated that the Idaho road to Mountain City would be widened and oiled in the near future. He said the men are particularly interested in the business which has been generated in Mountain City as a boost to Idaho businessmen, who have profited as a result of the fact that the state pushed a serviceable road into the copper district at an early date. The difference in the mileage of the roads is in Nevada's favor at the present time and will be aided when the canyon road work is completed. However, Lofquist is of the opinion that the thing which is more important is the building of a road, which will accommodate the traffic and which can be kept open during the winter months. Members of the Elko chamber of commerce road committee are anxious to see the canyon road work completed this year. They expect to be able to meet with Robert Allen, state highway engineer, here Tuesday, to talk the matter over with him. -Reno Evening Gazette, May 26, 1937