Directions: From Fallon, take Highway 50E 32.1 miles to SR839 (Rawhide Turn-off) ;Turn S on SR839 for 28.4 miles; left on dirt road, head generally SE for 11.4 miles.

From Fallon: 71.9 miles

What Was

The year was 1929. The commodity was mercury. The discoverer is a mystery. In 1944, the owner was V.S. Baxter of Fallon, Nevada, and the workings consisted of a 175 foot drift and other level workings. A mining district was formed to include the mercury mine, and later expanded to include other mines in the area. By the time World War Two rolled around and the BLM was listing all the important mines in the area, Poinsettia wasn't even mentioned. Perhaps mercury wasn't important enough for the war effort.

Post Office: none
Newspaper: none

What is

Poinsettia was never really a town, per se; it was a mine with a considerable number of support buildings nestled in a picturesque little draw. Climbing up over the hill and seeing the remaining buildings pop into view is quite dramatic, especially if you're not expecting it.

The Hawthorne, Nevada Boy Scout Troop now occupies Poinsettia, and while they tolerate visitors to their camp, they probably earn their sharpshooter merit badges on ruffians and vandals; hence, there are five or six standing buildings and several about to fall over but not quite. The cabins and the building by the mine itself are decorated in weird Boy Scout fashion, and there is a guest book to sign.

There is plenty to explore and there is considerable debris spread out over a large area.